NASA scientists have decided that Earth will seize a second moon on Sunday, twenty ninth September 2024. This small asteroid, named 2024 PT5, usually orbits the solar as a part of the Arjuna asteroid belt. Not like our long-term lunar companion, which has orbited Earth for over 4 billion years, this non permanent second moon will solely stick with Earth for a matter of weeks, leaving by twenty fifth November 2024. Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, a professor on the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, confirmed the asteroid’s transient keep in a latest report back to Area.com.
What’s Asteroid 2024 PT5?
Asteroid 2024 PT5 is a part of the Arjuna asteroid belt, a small group of house rocks that comply with orbits just like Earth’s. These asteroids usually journey at a comparatively sluggish pace of lower than 2,200 miles per hour, permitting for nearer approaches.
Throughout this era, 2024 PT5 will strategy Earth at a distance of about 2.8 million miles. Nevertheless, not like the moon, it is not going to full a full orbit round our planet.
A Uncommon however Anticipated Occasion
Gravitational captures of this sort, the place small objects are quickly caught in Earth’s orbit, are comparatively frequent, occurring a number of instances every decade. Whereas this would possibly sound stunning, many such asteroids come and go with out drawing consideration. Earlier comparable occasions have lasted only some weeks, and typically even years, relying on the asteroid’s trajectory.
Observing 2024 PT5
Although the idea of a second moon is intriguing, asteroid 2024 PT5 is not going to be seen to the typical skywatcher. Measuring solely 37 ft in diameter, it’s vastly smaller than the moon, which is over 2,100 miles vast. Marcos famous that solely skilled astronomers with specialised telescopes might observe this asteroid.
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