Earth Captures Temporary Mini-Moon 2024 PT5

Earth has temporarily captured a 'mini-moon' named 2024 PT5, an asteroid from the Arjuna belt, which will orbit the planet from September 29 to November 25, 2024. Discovered on August 7 by NASA's Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), this 10-meter diameter asteroid will not complete a full orbit but will follow a horseshoe-shaped trajectory before resuming its journey around the Sun. The phenomenon of mini-moons is rare, although not unprecedented, with similar events recorded in the past. 2024 PT5 is too small and dim to be visible to the naked eye or through amateur telescopes, requiring professional-grade equipment to observe. The event provides a unique opportunity for astronomers to study Near Earth Objects (NEOs) and their interactions with Earth's gravity.