ANS: NASA scientists have announced that Earth will temporarily capture a “mini-moon” this Sunday, September 29, in the form of the small asteroid 2024 PT5. This asteroid typically orbits the sun as part of the Arjuna asteroid belt, which trails behind Earth.
In contrast to Earth’s longstanding moon, which has been in orbit for about 4 billion years, 2024 PT5 will be a fleeting visitor, with its capture expected to last only until 25 November.
Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, a mini-moon expert at Universidad Complutense de Madrid, noted that the capture will begin at 3:54 PM EDT (19:54 UTC) and end at 11:43 AM EDT (15:43 UTC) on that date.
Marcos explained that the Arjuna belt consists of near-Earth objects that can come as close as 2.8 million miles at speeds under 2,200 mph. He clarified that while 2024 PT5 will not complete an orbit around Earth, such gravitational captures are relatively common, likening it to a “window shopper” rather than a permanent satellite.