Earth is about to gain a temporary companion in space – a mini-moon known as 2024 PT5. This near-Earth asteroid NEA) is expected to enter Earth's orbit on 29 September 2024 and remain in orbit for just under two months before being released back into the solar system.

Starting next week, the moon, Earth’s closest celestial body, will be joined by a new neighbor: a second moon. From Sept. 29 until Nov. 25, astronomers calculate that 2024 PT5— which is what scientists think is an asteroid but have dubbed a “mini-moon”—will be looping around Earth.

“Earth can regularly capture asteroids from the Near-Earth object (NEO) population and pull them into orbit, making them mini-moons,” the RNAAS information reads. “Sometimes, these temporary captures do not complete one revolution before dropping out of orbit and returning to their regular heliocentric trajectories.”