There will be a new mini moon on Earth for two months

Two researchers in the field of asteroid dynamics from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid Ciudad Universitaria have discovered that a small asteroid will orbit the Earth once starting this month before floating away to other parts of the solar system.

In her article published in the journal AAS Research NotesCarlos de la Fuente Marcos and Raúl de la Fuente Marcos describe how Earth tends to capture asteroids regularly and outline their calculations showing the path of 2024 PT₅ as it approaches Earth.

Previous research has shown that many asteroids orbit Earth in partially or completely elliptical orbits before they are eventually ejected. In 2006, for example, a small asteroid orbited Earth for about a year—and another did so for several years before leaving in 2020.

In this new project, researchers studied a small asteroid discovered last month as part of the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System. Previous research had shown that the asteroid was not on a collision course with Earth, and researchers suspected that it might instead be held in place for a while by the planet's gravity.

The researchers found that the asteroid is small, only 10 meters in diameter. By recording its current size, speed, and trajectory, the researchers were able to calculate its flight path for the next few months. They found that it would come close enough to Earth to be held by its gravity, if only for a few months.

Their work shows that the satellite will orbit the Earth once, taking 53 days, starting at the end of this month and leaving Earth around mid-November.

By mapping its trajectory, the researchers were also able to estimate its origin. They found that it likely came from the Arjuna asteroid belt, which consists of many asteroids that orbit the sun in an orbit similar to that of the Earth. They also determined that it is unlikely that asteroid 2024 PT₅ is a piece of space debris because it has a trajectory similar to that of another object of natural origin.

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