Tiny 10-metre asteroid is set to enter the earth's orbit and become a 'mini-moon' for 56 days
Selenophiles rejoice: the earth is getting its very own mini-moon for a rare and brief period very soon.
From September 29 until November 25, the full-sized moon will have a companion, an asteroid captured from the Arjuna asteroid group, which is set to enter the earth's orbit.
The so-called "mini-moon", known as the 2024 PT5, will circle the earth from around 4pm on September 29 for just under two months.
READ MORE: Temperatures plunge as damaging winds sweep across country
An illustration of an asteroid by NASA. NASA
The asteroid is (gently) hurtling towards us right now and will follow a horseshoe path, which makes it easier for scientists to follow and capture it.
The mini-moon is around 10-metres in diameter and will be orbiting in the earth's gravity for 57 days – which isn't enough for a full orbit of our planet.
It's set to travel some 1.5 million kilometres away from earth, so the rock is small and not clear to the naked eye.
READ MORE: Thieves break into child's room in Brisbane home invasion
The moon will have a companion in the form of an asteroid, named 2024 PT5, set to orbit the earth for 56 days. Getty
The mini-moon will only be able to be captured by large-scale professional telescopes.
According to Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, a professor at Universidad Complutense de Madrid, "even the most powerful amateur telescopes won't catch a glimpse of 2024 PT5".
He told Space.com the PT5 can be seen using a telescope measuring at least 76.2cm paired with a digital detector.
2024 PT5 will be the fifth-ever mini moon seen by habitants on earth.
Small mini-moons are common however it is rare for them to be captured.
NASA's NEAR Spacecraft's rendezvous with an asteroid. (artist's concept) NASA
The asteroid was first detected by a NASA-funded telescope in South Africa, one of four telescopes operated by the University of Hawaii's Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, which watches for dangerous asteroids which might make impact with earth.
It's believed the PT5 became a mini-moon back in 1960, too, however nobody on earth seemed to notice, according to a paper reporting its discovery.
Mini-moons are technically asteroids, also known as space rocks.
READ MORE: Government-funded report reveals cheapest place to buy groceries
The mini-moon will only be seen by professional-grade telescopes. iStock
The 2024 PT5 comes from a group of asteroids orbiting the sun called the Arjunas, named after a character in the Hindu epic Mahābhārata.
After this mini-moon's episode, the asteroid will leave the neighbourhood of earth until its next return in 2055.
The first-ever mini moon arrived in 1991 and was around the same size as the 2024 PT5 in diameter.
The last known mini-moon was the 2020 CD3, which orbited Earth from 2018 to 2020.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, celebrity and sport via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.
Share a tip-off, video or photo with us
