Earth to get a temporary ‘mini moon’ tonight – 2024 PT5
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Tonight, Earth will briefly welcome a new "mini moon" into its orbit, named "2024 PT5."
This small celestial body, measuring just 10 meters in diameter, will stay in Earth’s orbit for around 53 days before continuing its journey through the solar system.
Unlike the Moon, which has a diameter of 3,476 kilometers, this mini moon is 350,000 times smaller and invisible to the naked eye. However, it can be spotted through specialized telescopes after 1:30 AM. "2024 PT5" was first discovered on August 7, 2024, by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), a NASA-funded program that monitors near-Earth objects.
While this phenomenon may seem rare, similar events have occurred in 1997, 2013, and 2018, according to experts.
Indian space agency ISRO’s Network for Space Objects Tracking and Analysis (NETRA) has confirmed it is closely monitoring the mini moon. Scientists Carlos and Raúl de la Fuente Marcos explained that near-Earth objects like "2024 PT5" often follow a "horseshoe" orbital path around Earth, coming close to the planet without completing a full revolution.
The mini moon is part of the "Arjuna Asteroids" group, named after the legendary hero from Mahabharata. These asteroids have a year-long orbital periodicity and unpredictable trajectories, much like Arjuna’s arrows in mythology. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) approved the name, honoring Arjuna’s bravery and wisdom.
Though "2024 PT5" poses no threat to Earth, it will remain under observation by ISRO and is expected to exit Earth’s orbit by November 25, 2024.