Technically, the asteroid 2024 PT5 isn’t classified as a mini-moon because it won’t complete an entire orbit around Earth.
A small asteroid named 2024 ON recently passed close to Earth without causing any harm, and another asteroid, 2024 PT5, is on its way. This second asteroid, about 33 feet long, is moving through space and will soon be briefly caught by Earth’s gravity.
While Earth’s gravity will pull in 2024 PT5, it won’t complete a full orbit around the planet. Instead, it will follow a curved path, making only part of a loop before continuing its journey through space. Events like this are rare since most asteroids either miss Earth or burn up in the atmosphere.
To be considered a mini-moon, an asteroid must complete at least one full orbit around Earth. Since 2024 PT5 won’t do that, it’s not technically a mini-moon. Due to its small size, it will only be visible through special telescopes.
The asteroid was discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) on August 7. It is expected to orbit Earth from September 29 to November 25 before escaping Earth’s gravity. This 56-day period will give scientists a chance to study it closely.
In an interview with The New York Times, Federica Spoto, an asteroid expert from the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian, said the event is “pretty cool.” She also mentioned that 2024 PT5 could help scientists learn more about space rocks that pass by Earth. Paul Chodas, who leads NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, suggested that the asteroid might be a piece of debris from an impact on the Moon.
Mini-moons are interesting to scientists because they may contain valuable metals. If one is pulled into Earth’s orbit, it could offer future opportunities for mining these resources.