Earth's 'Second Moon' to Vanish, Won’t Reappear Until 2055

NASA confirms Earth's 'second moon,' a 33-foot-wide space visitor, poses no threat to Earth as it prepares to vanish from orbit, set to return only in 2055.

By Palak Pathak Updated: Nov 20, 2024, 20:47 IST

A rare celestial visitor, asteroid 2024 PT5, nicknamed a mini moon or second moon, orbited Earth briefly. First seen by NASA's ATLAS system on August 7, 2024, over Sutherland, South Africa, this bus-sized asteroid, about 33 feet wide, was taken in temporarily by Earth's gravity between September 29 and November 25.

Earth's 'Second Moon': Rare Asteroid 2024 PT5 Visits

Its visit did thrill astronomers, however; but its small size and dim brightness had it invisible to the naked eye, detectable only through professional telescopes. The origin of Asteroid 2024 PT5 is believed to be the Arjuna asteroid belt, which consists of old cosmic debris at a distance of 93 million miles from the Sun. Here is an interesting catch: NASA officials believe this asteroid could be a piece of Earth's Moon - ejected long ago by an ancient impact and now back by sheer coincidence.

Despite its close proximity to Earth at just 3.76 million kilometers—astronomically a very short distance—NASA assures that the asteroid poses no threat. Its compact size and trajectory ensure it’s harmless, offering an opportunity for researchers to observe such rare phenomena without risk.

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Mini moons" like PT5 are objects that are temporarily captured by Earth's gravitational pull. They may include small asteroids, comets, or even discarding space junk such as parts of a rocket or satellite fragments. Such temporary visitors often add excitement to the astronomical research, providing insights into near-Earth objects and their behavior.

Asteroid 2024 PT5 is now nearing the end of its journey around Earth and will vanish from orbit until it returns in 2055. Its brief passage reminds us how active and dynamic our cosmic neighborhood is. Even though it was not visible to most, the discovery of this asteroid has excited astronomers and stargazers, helping us know more about small celestial bodies and their relationship with our planet.