Earth is believed to have captured its new temporary ‘minimoon’.

Over the weekend, scientists predict Earth will have captured a small asteroid that is now orbiting the planet. 

This cosmic visitor, dubbed asteroid 2024 PT5, is approximately the size of a bus and will remain in Earth's gravitational pull for 57 days before resuming its orbit around the Sun. 

It is expected to break free on 25 November.

The minimoon measures 10 metres in diameter and belongs to the Arjuna group of asteroids. 

These asteroids have orbits that are similar to Earth's, occasionally bringing them close to the planet. 

In fact, researchers anticipate that 2024 PT5 will return for another close flyby in January 2025 and again in 2055.

While many may peer skyward to glimpse Earth’s new neighbour, astronomers caution that 2024 PT5 is far too small to be visible to the naked eye. 

“The object is too small and dim for typical amateur telescopes and binoculars,” says Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, an astronomer from Universidad Complutense de Madrid. 

Only large, professional telescopes will be able to observe the minimoon during its brief visit.

Minimoons like 2024 PT5 are rare but not unheard of. 

Earth has captured several temporary moons over its long history, though most have gone undetected. 

The first observed minimoon was 2006 RH120, a six-metre-wide asteroid that orbited Earth for 18 months between 2006 and 2007. More recently, in 2020, another space rock, 2020 CD3, was captured and orbited Earth for three years.

Although 2024 PT5 is small, its capture provides astronomers with valuable opportunities to study near-Earth objects. 

Some researchers even propose that these temporary moons could be stepping stones for future space missions, such as asteroid mining or deeper exploration into the solar system.

As exciting as it is to have a second moon, skywatchers will have to wait for professional astronomers to release images of the minimoon, which do not appear to have surfaced yet. 

Until then, those interested in celestial events can look out for Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which will be visible until 2 October.

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