Earth's second moon will be visible from next week, here is how you can watch it!
Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Earth to Gain a Temporary 'Mini Moon'
This autumn, an asteroid will be captured by Earth's gravity and orbit the planet for about two months, acting as a temporary second moon. The phenomenon is set to occur between September 29 and November 25, 2024.
Brief Stay in Earth’s Orbit
The asteroid will become a "mini moon" as it temporarily orbits Earth. It won't complete a full orbit but will remain in Earth's gravitational pull for two months before continuing its journey around the sun.
Discovered in August 2024
NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) discovered the asteroid on August 7, 2024. Measuring about 10 meters in length, it is much smaller than Earth's permanent moon, which has a diameter of 3,474 kilometers.
Too Dim for Amateur Observation
Although visible to professional telescopes, the asteroid will be too dim for typical amateur telescopes or binoculars. Professional astronomers, however, will have a chance to observe the event using their equipment.
Return Predicted in 2055
Scientists believe this mini moon will return to Earth’s orbit again in 2055. This is not a rare event, as Earth has had previous mini moons, with similar occurrences in 1981 and 2022.
How Mini Moons Are Captured
Asteroids in the Arjuna belt can get close to Earth, and if they're traveling slowly, their paths are more affected by Earth’s gravity. When these conditions align, they can become temporary moons of Earth.
Not a Full Orbit
The asteroid will not circle Earth like our permanent moon, but will follow a different, shorter path around the planet before being released from Earth’s gravity, providing a unique and temporary celestial phenomenon.