Tiny Space Rock to Join Earth's Orbit for a Brief Visit

Imagine a tiny space rock, roughly the size of a school bus, joining Earth's orbit for a couple of months. This isn't a sci-fi movie plot, but a real-life event that's about to happen. The asteroid, named 2024 PT5, will be temporarily trapped by Earth's gravity and orbit our planet for almost 57 days. Astronomers at Complutense University of Madrid discovered this mini moon in August using a powerful telescope located in Sutherland, South Africa. This short-lived visitor is likely more common than we realize, but it's only recently that our survey capabilities have reached the point of spotting them regularly.

The space rock won't be visible to the naked eye or through amateur telescopes, but it can be observed with relatively large, research-grade telescopes. It's not clear whether 2024 PT5 originated as an asteroid or as a chunk of the moon that got blasted out. For almost two months, this tiny space rock will circle the globe, but it won't complete a full orbit. On November 25, it will part ways with Earth and continue its solo journey through the cosmos. It's expected to pass by again in 2055.

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