Today the earth is going to get a new moon. This mini moon has been named Asteroid 2024 PT5. It will temporarily revolve around the Earth from today i.e. 29 September to 25 November. The arrival of the mini-moon has increased the interest of space enthusiasts. However, due to its small size and low brightness we will not be able to see it with the naked eye. It cannot be seen even with a normal telescope, but if you want to glimpse it, you will need professional equipment.
According to information received from Space.com, NASA will start receiving pictures of asteroid 2024 PT5 from 3.54 pm (US time) on September 29. At the same time, this asteroid will be visible only till 11.43 minutes on the morning of 25th November. Awesome Astronomy Podcast host Dr. Jennifer Millard says that only astronomical telescopes will be able to take pictures of the mini-moon. “Today you will be able to see spectacular images of the 2024 PTS asteroid speeding past the stars online,” Millard told the BBC.
What is Asteroid 2024 PT5
This asteroid named 2024 PT5 first came into NASA’s sight on August 7 this year. It originates from the Arjuna asteroid belt. It contains rocks similar to Earth. It is approximately 33 feet wide. Millard said, “It will not be able to make a complete revolution around the Earth. Before it moves forward, its orbit will be slightly changed due to Earth’s gravity. Its speed is approximately 2,200 mph (3,540 km/h).”
It is noteworthy that mini-moons have been seen before and many may have gone unnoticed. Some have also come close to Earth again, including asteroid 2022 NX1, which first came close to Earth as a mini-moon in 1981 and then this event happened again in 2022. 2024 PT5 is expected to return to Earth orbit in 2055.
