Two Moons Will Simultaneously Orbit Earth This Fall
If you’re fascinated by astronomy, get ready for an exciting event: two moons are set to orbit Earth later this month! And no this isn’t an illusion—it’s actually asteroid 2024 PT5, known as a ‘mini-moon.’
When will Earth get a second moon?
A team of scientists discovered properties of 2024 PT5 while routinely monitoring new found objects. Researchers expect the new mini-moon to remain in Earth’s orbit and accompany our moon from September 29th to November 25th—just days before Turkey Day!
“The object that is going to pay us a visit belongs to the Arjuna asteroid belt, a secondary asteroid belt made of space rocks that follow orbits very similar to that of Earth at an average distance to the sun of about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers),” research lead author and Universidad Complutense de Madrid professor Carlos de la Fuente Marcos informed Space.com. “Objects in the Arjuna asteroid belt are part of the near-Earth object population of asteroids and comets.”
2024 PT5 isn’t expected to make a full rotation around Earth, but rather follow the path of a “horseshoe,” writes NPR.
Will you be able to see the 2024 mini-moon?
Let’s be clear that 2024 PT5 won’t be visible to the naked eye. Only professional astronomer telescopes will be able to catch 2024 PT5. The asteroid will span 33 feet long. For context, the moon is believed to have a diameter of around 2,159.2 miles.
If the blazing 38,000mph meteor that raced across NYC skies this July gave you a scare, rest assured 2024 PT5 will not be colliding with Earth whatsoever.
This isn’t the first time Earth has taken a second, mini-moon. The former was known as 2020 CD3, another space rock that temporarily ended up in our orbit for a little over a year until March of 2020. It’s believed that 2024 PT5 will actually return in Earth’s orbit in 2055.
And while 2024 PT5 orbits Earth, you won’t want to miss the Blood Moon on October 17th, following September’s supermoon eclipse that has already passed. 
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