Ganesh Kendale
Earth has a new temporary companion in space: a “mini moon” called Asteroid 2024 PT5. This small space rock, roughly the size of a bus, was captured by Earth’s gravity on Sunday. However, don’t expect to see it in the night sky from India or anywhere else unless you have access to advanced telescopes.
Asteroid 2024 PT5 measures about 10 metres in diameter and was first identified by scientists in Spain this August.It is anticipated to orbit Earth for approximately two months, circling our planet before breaking free on November 25. Unlike our primary Moon, this mini moon won’t complete a full orbit around Earth before returning to space.
This asteroid is part of the Arjuna asteroid belt, which shares a similar orbital path around the Sun with Earth. Mini moons like this one are not as uncommon as you might think; another was detected in 2020, though they are small and difficult to observe.
Can you see the ‘second moon’ from India?
Unfortunately, this mini moon is not visible to the naked eye. Even standard telescopes won’t be able to spot it; only large, professional-grade telescopes can detect 2024 PT5 due to its size and faintness. So, unless you have access to major astronomical equipment, you’ll need to rely on online images from observatories.
Scientists are still uncertain whether this asteroid is merely a piece of space rock or possibly a fragment of the Moon that broke off long ago. Interestingly, this mini moon is expected to pass by Earth again in 2055, making it a rare but not unprecedented visitor. While this mini moon will only be here for a short time, it serves as a reminder of the many objects flying near Earth. With thousands of space rocks passing by, scientists closely monitor these cosmic travellers to enhance our understanding of the dynamic solar system.
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