Earth’s second moon will disappear today
Earth is saying goodbye to its temporary friend who has been with it for the last two months, this friend of Earth is called Mini Moon, a 33-foot steroid known as 2024 PT5, which has been with us for the last two It has been circling the Earth for months. This steroid, which is not going to cause any harm to anyone, will bow before the strong grip of the Sun and will be freed from the Earth’s gravitational pull on Monday. But this is no permanent farewell – the space rock is expected to pass close by in January 2024.
NASA claims – Mini Moon is a part of our Moon
NASA scientists are deeply interested in 2024 PT5, claiming that the mini-moon could be a fragment of the moon broken off by the impact of an old steroid. While this steroid has never completely orbited Earth and while it’s not technically a moon, its horseshoe-shaped path around the planet makes it a fascinating subject for study. It was first observed in August 2024 and entered its orbit halfway around Earth in late September.
Will study mini moon
During this trip, NASA plans to use the Goldstone Solar System Radar in California’s Mojave Desert to closely observe this steroid. The objective with these radars is to deepen scientists’ understanding of the object’s origin, structure and trajectory. By the time it returns in January, it will pass within 1.1 million miles (1.8 million kilometers) of Earth, maintaining a safe distance about five times that of the Moon.
Brothers Raúl and Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, astrophysicists from the Complutense University of Madrid, who first identified the asteroid’s “mini moon”, have already collected hundreds of observations with telescopes in the Canary Islands.
Know how far away the mini moon is
Currently, the asteroid is more than 2 million miles (3.5 million kilometers) away and invisible to all but the most powerful telescopes. However, its speed will increase dramatically during its journey in January, making it impossible for Earth’s gravity to catch it again. This 2024 PT5 will continue to orbit the Sun and is expected to return for another fleeting encounter with Earth in 2055, possibly repeating its dance as a “mini moon”. For now, scientists are focusing on studying this interesting visitor>
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