Occasionally, asteroids get caught in Earth’s orbit, temporarily becoming mini moons before continuing their cosmic paths.

This isn’t the first time Earth has encountered a mini-moon. Asteroid 2022 NX1, for instance, orbited Earth briefly in 1981 and 2022. The good news for those who might miss 2024 PT5’s visit is ...

The mini-moon is officially known as asteroid 2024 PT5. After first joining up with Earth on Sept. 29, 2024, the mini-moon left its orbit around our planet at 10:43 a.m. EST (1543 GMT) on Monday ...

Asteroid 2024 PT5, discovered near Earth in 2024, is suspected to be a fragment from the Moon’s surface. Researchers found its composition matches lunar rock samples, specifically silicate-rich ...

The asteroid 2024 PT5 will leave Earth on Nov. 25 before Thanksgiving after visiting as a second moon, but new analysis shows it may have been born from our original moon and thus from Earth.

Additionally, 2024 PT5 itself is scheduled to make another close approach to Earth on January 9, 2025, providing NASA with an opportunity to study it using radar technology. After this quick flyby ...

Asteroid 2024 PT5 is 10 meters wide, which is about 33 feet, roughly the size of a city bus. In contrast, Earth's moon has a diameter of 2,159 miles, making 2024 PT5 just a tiny speck compared to ...

The newly discovered asteroid, named 2024 PT5, will temporarily be captured by Earth’s gravity and orbit our world from Sept. 29 to Nov. 25, according to astronomers.

Before concluding that 2024 PT5 was a fragment of the Moon, scientists needed to rule out the possibility that it was simply space debris, such as an old rocket part or a piece of human-made material.

Dubbed the 2024 PT5, the 'mini-moon' will orbit Earth for nearly two months. It comes in a season of lunar phenomena. What you need to know about Earth's new, temporary mini-moon - Los Angeles Times ...

A calculation of asteroid 2024 PT5’s position around Earth as it temporarily is captured and becomes a mini-moon. NASA During this interstellar layover, the space rock will likely become a ...