There's A New Moon Coming Soon: FAQ'S

Starting in late September, Earth will briefly host a second moon for two months, as a small asteroid joins our orbit before continuing its journey through space. While experts regularly track near-Earth objects for potential hazards, these celestial bodies also intrigue scientists as they may hold valuable resources for the future.

A Moon for a Moment

Earth’s gravity will temporarily capture an asteroid known as 2024 PT5, which is set to orbit our planet from September 29 to November 25, according to a study published in the journal Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society. This mini-moon, measuring about 10 meters (33 feet) in width, was discovered in August by NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System.

Identifying mini-moons can be challenging due to their size and speed. “Every time an object with an Earth-like orbit is found, there’s a chance it could just be space debris,” said Raúl de la Fuente Marcos, an astronomer at the Complutense University of Madrid and co-author of the study, in an interview with The New York Times. However, further analysis confirmed that 2024 PT5 is indeed a natural object. Paul Chodas, director of NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies, suggested it could be “possibly a piece of ejecta from an impact on the moon.” Despite the excitement surrounding this mini-moon, it will not be visible to observers, as it is too dim even for telescopes