October 16, 2024
The gravitational pull of the Earth has temporarily attracted a tiny asteroid named 2024 PT5 into the Earth’s orbit since September. This celestial body acts similar to a mini-moon and will orbit the Earth briefly till November 25, 2024. The 2024 PT5 has a diameter of only 33ft and is imperceptible when viewed with the naked eye. This mini moon is believed to belong to the Arjuna asteroid belt and was discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), an asteroid tracking system funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It is expected to encircle the Earth in a horseshoe-shaped course instead of completing a full revolution.
DID YOU KNOW
Astronomers have identified only four mini-moons of Earth similar to 2024 PT5. All these celestial bodies have left Earth’s orbit.
Image for representational purposes
