Earth is set to bid farewell to a “mini moon” asteroid that has been in close proximity for the past two months, with plans for a return visit in 2055.
Earth is parting ways with an asteroid that has been accompanying it as a “mini moon” for the last two months. This harmless space rock is expected to drift away on Monday, influenced by the stronger gravitational pull of the sun.
However, the asteroid, designated 2024 PT5, will make a brief return visit in January. NASA plans to utilize a radar antenna to observe the 33-foot asteroid during this time, which will enhance scientists’ understanding of the object. It is believed that 2024 PT5 may be a boulder that was ejected from the moon due to an impact from a larger asteroid.
While NASA clarifies that this asteroid is not technically a moon—having never been fully captured by Earth’s gravity—it is still considered “an interesting object” worthy of scientific study. The asteroid was identified by astrophysicist brothers Raul and Carlos de la Fuente Marcos from Complutense University of Madrid, who have conducted hundreds of observations in collaboration with telescopes located in the Canary Islands.
Currently, the asteroid is more than 2 million miles away from Earth, making it too small and faint to be observed without a powerful telescope. In January, it will pass within approximately 1.1 million miles of Earth, maintaining a safe distance before continuing its journey deeper into the solar system. The asteroid is not expected to return until 2055, at which point it will be nearly five times farther away than the moon.
First detected in August, 2024 PT5 began its semi-orbital path around Earth in late September after being influenced by Earth’s gravity, following a horseshoe-shaped trajectory. By the time of its return next year, the asteroid will be traveling at more than double its speed from September, making it too fast to linger, according to Raul de la Fuente Marcos.
NASA plans to track the asteroid for over a week in January using the Goldstone solar system radar antenna located in California’s Mojave Desert, which is part of the Deep Space Network. Current data indicates that during its 2055 visit, this sun-orbiting asteroid will once again make a temporary and partial lap around Earth.
According to NASA, the study of such asteroids can provide valuable insights into the history and composition of celestial bodies in our solar system.