A small asteroid named 2024 PT5 is going to become a temporary 'second moon' of Earth. It will enter Earth’s orbit and circle our planet for 53 days before leaving to continue its journey through the solar system.
Researchers Carlos and Raul Márquez from the Complutense University of Madrid say that the asteroid, which is about 10 meters across, will come under Earth's gravitational influence later this month. It will complete one full orbit around Earth before moving away in mid-November.
This isn’t the first time Earth has captured an asteroid temporarily, but this one is getting a lot of attention because of its size, the timing, and how close it will pass to Earth. The Asteroid Terrestrial Impact Last Alert System spotted 2024 PT5 last month.
While it’s exciting, there’s no risk of the asteroid hitting Earth. It will simply orbit Earth as it is pulled by our planet’s gravity. This event has led to the asteroid being called a “second small moon” during its short visit.
