KATHMANDU, Sept 22: Earth will briefly gain a second moon this month in the form of asteroid 2024 PT5. Unlike the moon, which has orbited our planet for billions of years, this ‘mini-moon’ will remain in Earth's orbit for just two months before returning to its original path in the asteroid belt.
According to Space.com, scientists discovered this temporary moon while tracking the asteroid’s peculiar motion. The asteroid, part of the Arjuna asteroid group, follows an orbit similar to Earth's, and occasionally such objects get temporarily trapped by Earth's gravity, creating short-lived mini-moons.
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The asteroid will not complete a full orbit around Earth, but will briefly become bound to the planet's gravity before being ejected back into its original orbit due to the gravitational pull of the sun.
Unfortunately, 2024 PT5 will be too small and dim to be seen by most skywatchers, requiring professional equipment to observe.
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