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Earth mini moon is technically an asteroid that has been making news since August when it was first discovered. It has been tagging along the Earth’s actual moon for the past two months.
The mini moon of Earth is predicted to part ways on Monday for a temporary time period. It is due to the stronger tug of the sun’s gravity but will resume its path closer to the actual moon in January again.
What is an Earth mini moon? Is there a name for Earth’s moon?
Earth mini moon, named asteroid 2024 PT5, is a 33-feet long asteroid, which is approximately 10 meters. It could be considered the size of a school bus that could have broken from the moon and crashed into space centuries ago.
It was first spotted by Deep Space Network in August via a South African-based telescope found in the University of Hawaii. Scientists’ theory mentions that it could be a part of the moon that blasted off by an impacting, crater-forming asteroid.
NASA experts say that it is interesting to have such an object orbit around the Earth which is technically not a moon. It is worthy of study.
Josh Handal, the program analyst wrote in his briefing,
“Given the similarity between asteroid 2024 PT5’s motion and that of our planet’s, scientists at NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object (NEOs) studies suspect that the object could be a large chunk of rock ejected from the moon’s surface after an asteroid impact long ago”.
He further explained that several other similar bodies have been discovered in outer space that kept circling the Earth. However, after the analysis of this body, it is considered “more likely of natural origin”.
The astrophysicist brothers made observations
The astrophysicist brothers, Raul and Carlos de la Fuente Marcos from the Complutense University of Madrid identified the behavior of the mini moon of Earth. They made observations from hundreds of telescopes in the Canary Islands.
At present, at a distance of 2 million miles, Earth mini moon is too small to be seen with the naked eye. Only with the help of a powerful telescope, it could be seen clearly.
It will be as close as 1.1 million miles in January to Earth again. It is declared a safe distance before it zooms away to farther space away from Earth.
With a further exploration of the solar system, the history of this asteroid shows that it is not a regular part of our system. Though it looks like Earth’s natural moon, which has been orbiting Earth since the start of time, the mini moon of Earth had temporarily caught orbit of the planet, likely due to Earth’s gravitational pull.
First discovered in August
Mini moon of Earth was first discovered in August which began a semi-jogging pattern around the Earth till late September. After it gained the Earth’s gravity influence, it adopted a horseshoe orbit.
It is expected if it returns next year, it will move faster, double the speed it has been exhibiting in September, said Raul de la Fuente Marcos.
What happened to Earth’s second moon?
After it moves away from Earth and the actual moon, Earth’s so-called second moon will not return till 2055. It is approximately five times farther the distance than the actual moon.
An asteroid observation is planned to take place in January 2025 for more than a week. During the observation, NASA will track the temporary Earth companion or the mini moon of Earth using a Goldstone solar system radar antenna.
The observation would take place in the Mojave Desert of California, which is a part of the Deep Space Network.
According to the current data and based on that, a newly formed theory called ‘moon fragment theory’ suggests that when the sun-circling asteroid or Earth mini moon appears again in 2055, it would again be a temporary and partial lap around the planet.
Why Solar system exploration and study of near-earth objects is important?
The study of near-earth objects, just like asteroid 2024 PT5, is important since these objects have a tendency to open up more about the solar system. They could also reveal about the formation of the solar system along with any potential risks.
Since Earth mini moon has not shown any signs of risks until now, tracking and understanding its behavior might help in knowing the potential dangers of such objects in the future.
Future of mini moon
Scientists speculate that the asteroid might have been a chunk of the lunar surface of the actual moon that broke off and witnessed to be orbiting the Earth. It can tell a lot more about space objects and how they interact with our solar system.
Till its return in 2055, the asteroid 2024 PT5 will move away from the Earth due to the sun’s greater gravitational pull. It would maintain its high speed which is predicted to increase once it returns in 2055 around the Earth.
Then, it would maintain its elliptical orbit around the sun but stay far beyond the Earth’s reach till 2055.
The observations from the radar, particularly the one placed in the desert, would reveal the size and distance of such bodies in space. The mission would include exploration of such unusual bodies that try to interact with our Earth or the rest of the solar system and what they actually mean.
FAQs
1. What is an Earth mini moon?
An Earth mini moon is a small asteroid that temporarily enters Earth’s orbit due to gravitational influence. It is not a permanent satellite like the Moon but exhibits unique orbital behavior, often following a horseshoe-shaped trajectory around Earth.
2. What is the name of Earth’s mini moon?
The mini moon currently making news is named asteroid 2024 PT5. It is approximately 33 feet (10 meters) in size, roughly the size of a school bus.
3. When was asteroid 2024 PT5 discovered?
Asteroid 2024 PT5 was first discovered in August 2023 by a South African-based telescope operated by the University of Hawaii as part of the Deep Space Network.
4. Could 2024 PT5 be a fragment of the Moon?
There is a possibility that 2024 PT5 is a fragment of the Moon’s surface, potentially ejected into space due to a crater-forming asteroid impact long ago. This theory is being explored by scientists.
5. Is asteroid 2024 PT5 dangerous?
No, asteroid 2024 PT5 is not considered a threat. It is currently 2 million miles (3.5 million kilometers) away from Earth and is predicted to pass as close as 1.1 million miles (1.8 million kilometers) in January 2024, a safe distance.
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