Earth is about to get a temporary second moon! Here’s everything you need to know.

This is not uncommon

Mini-satellites are not as rare as one might think. These space objects are typically small asteroids that are close enough to Earth to be captured by Earth’s gravity, often for a short period of time. 2024 PT5 is expected to remain in Earth orbit for less than two months before continuing its journey into space. Similar mini-satellites have been recorded in recent years. For example, in 2020, an object thought to be a mini-moon was later confirmed to be space debris from a rocket launch in the 1960s. However, 2024 PT5 is believed to be a true asteroid, according to ATLAS scientists.

temporary flyover

Although the 2024 PT5 is called a mini-moon, it will not complete a full orbit around the Earth. Instead, it will be a “temporary capture flyby” that will circle about 25% of the Earth’s surface before flying into the solar system again. These brief encounters are common, and many mini-satellites don’t stay long enough to form stable orbits.

Can you see it?

Unfortunately, this mini-moon is nearly impossible to spot with the naked eye or even with most telescopes. The asteroid’s magnitude, or brightness, is too dim to be detected by standard amateur astronomical equipment. Its absolute magnitude is reported to be 27.593, making it much dimmer than observed with a 12-inch telescope. Only the most advanced observatories can track the small satellite’s brief appearance.