Arjuna Asteroid Belt New Moon
The Arjuna asteroid belt is a secondary asteroid belt located in the solar system, containing space rocks with orbits similar to Earth’s average distance from the sun (about 93 million miles or 150 million kilometers). Recently, a small asteroid named 2024 PT5 from this belt is expected to become a temporary “mini-moon” for nearly two months, from September 29 to November 25, 2024.
Characteristics of the Mini-Moon
- The asteroid, 2024 PT5, will be caught by Earth’s gravitational field, temporarily orbiting our planet.
- Due to its small size and lack of brightness, it won’t be visible to the naked eye or even with binoculars or home telescopes. Professional equipment is needed to capture images of the mini-moon.
- According to Dr. Jennifer Millard, host of the Awesome Astronomy podcast, professional telescopes will capture images of the mini-moon, allowing people to see “wonderful pictures online of this little dot speeding past the stars.”
Orbital Pattern
- The mini-moon will orbit Earth for approximately 57 days before gradually escaping the planet’s gravitational pull.
- There is no explosive or dramatic event causing it to leave; it simply has too much energy to remain in Earth’s orbit for an extended period.
- Scientists predict that 2024 PT5 will re-enter Earth’s orbit in 2055.
Precedent
- This is not the first time Earth has had a mini-moon. In 2020, another mini-moon called 2020 CD3 orbited the Earth for more than a year.
Arjuna Asteroid Belt
- The Arjuna asteroid belt is a group of space rocks that revolve around the sun, with orbits similar to Earth’s.
- The belt is home to many small asteroids, including 2024 PT5, which will temporarily become Earth’s mini-moon.
In summary, the Arjuna asteroid belt’s 2024 PT5 asteroid will become a temporary “mini-moon” for nearly two months, orbiting Earth before returning to its home belt. While not visible to the naked eye, professional telescopes will capture images of this small asteroid as it speeds past our planet.