Asteroid 2024 PT5 temporarily enters Earth's orbit as a mini-moon

ktla.com October 4, 2024, 04:01 AM UTC

A new asteroid, named 2024 PT5, has temporarily entered Earth’s orbit, being referred to as a "mini-moon." It will remain in orbit until November 25 before continuing its journey through the solar system. The asteroid is about the size of a bus and cannot be seen with small telescopes. Only large telescopes can detect it, or it requires long exposure photography. This event is not unusual; similar occurrences happen a few times each decade. The last mini-moon was in 2022. The asteroid was discovered in August and is expected to return in 2025.


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