Earth is set to capture a small asteroid, dubbed 2024 PT5, as a temporary ‘second moon’ this weekend, according to NASA. This celestial event is a rare and fascinating occurrence that sheds light on the dynamic nature of our solar system.
A Cosmic Houseguest
This weekend, Earth will keep a small fraction of that mass, welcoming into its gravitational embrace a kind of miniature ‘second moon’. The new world that will travel with us isn’t even technically a space rock, but in fact a small asteroid known as 2024 PT5 that is part of the Arjuna asteroid belt which circles the Sun at roughly the same distance as Earth.
NASA scientists estimate that this asteroid will begin orbiting the Earth in a one-of-a-kind ‘horseshoe’ path on Sunday, October 15th, at approximately at 3:54 pm EDT. It will sit in this orbit for nearly two months before it swings out and goes back on its regular journey around the Sun.
So far this may seem like the plot to a sci-fi tale, but this is something that happens quite often in reality. Mini-moons are a rare sight — with only two known ones in our solar system, though they string through fringes of Earth’s cosmic junk now and again (there have been no confirmed observations since 2006).
Vital Stats for Alien Asteroid
Asteroid 2024 PT5 measures only about 37 feet (11 meters) across, such is it as small celestial body. In comparison, our own moon is a gargantuan 2,159 miles (3,475 kilometers) wide. Although modestly sized 2024 PT5 will make a close, temporary guest appearance only about 2.
Although it may be disconcerting to hear of an object so large passing within a few million miles of our home, the asteroid is nowhere near threatening Earth. It will, in fact, be orbiting at a blistering pace of some 2,200 miles per hour (3,500 kilometers/hour). That compares with the Moon, which speeds around the Earth at a relatively sluggish 2,300 miles per hour (3,700 kilometers per hour).
Yet the space rock 2024 PT5 will be far too dim for even most amateur telescopes and binoculars, as it is so tiny. Still, scientists will be watching the heavenly wanderer with far more sophisticated tools.
Conclusion
Thus the capture of a temporary ‘second moon’ that is about to occur in 2020 provides an interesting and quite uncommon event that is pointing out how SpiceWorks our Solar System actually is. And though this relatively small asteroid poses no danger to us here on Earth, its fleeting presence reminds us of the many stragglers that we hope someday to find and study. Future events such as this will undoubtedly provide important information about the intricate ballet of the heavens, as we continue to further unravel and fathom cosmos.
