Scientists predict Earth will temporarily capture a second ‘moon’.

Prepare for a celestial treat this fall – scientists reveal that Earth is about to gain a temporary second moon.

A tiny asteroid will be caught in Earth’s gravitational field, turning into a ‘mini-moon’ for a short time.

This cosmic guest is expected to appear around September 29 and remain in orbit for a few months before breaking free again.

Unfortunately, this second moon will be too faint and small to be visible without the help of a professional telescope.

“NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) first detected the asteroid on August 7.

In a study published in Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society, scientists analyzed its trajectory.

Named 2024 PT5, the asteroid originates from the Arjuna asteroid group, whose members follow a path similar to Earth’s orbit.

Occasionally, asteroids from this group pass near Earth, coming as close as 2.8 million miles (4.5 million kilometers) from our planet.

According to the study’s researchers, if an asteroid like this travels at a relatively slow speed, around 2,200 mph (3,540 km/h), Earth’s gravity can temporarily capture it.

This is exactly what’s about to happen—starting this weekend, 2024 PT5 will spend roughly two months orbiting Earth.

Dr. Jennifer Millard, an astronomer and host of the Awesome Astronomy podcast, told the BBC’s Today programme that the asteroid would enter Earth’s orbit on September 29 and is expected to leave by November 25.

“It won’t complete a full orbit around Earth but will have its trajectory slightly altered before it continues its journey,” Dr. Millard explained.

At about 32 feet (10 meters) in length, the asteroid is tiny compared to Earth’s 3,474 km-wide moon.

Due to its small size and dull composition, it will be invisible to the naked eye or home telescopes.

“However, professional telescopes will capture images, and we can expect to see amazing photos of this fast-moving dot against the stars,” Dr. Millard added.

This isn’t the first time a mini-moon has been observed, and it’s believed many others have gone unnoticed.

Some asteroids even make repeat visits—asteroid 2022 NX1 became a mini-moon in 1981 and again in 2022.

If you miss 2024 PT5 this time, don’t worry—scientists predict it will return in 2055.

“This discovery shows just how active our solar system is, and how much remains unexplored. The asteroid was only discovered this year, and there are tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of similar objects still to be found,” Dr. Millard noted.”