Remember the 'mini-moon' last year? Study finds it was likely just a chunk of the actual moon
A chunk of space rock that visited near Earth's orbit last year was widely called a "mini-moon," a nickname that was more appropriate than thought.
Earth’s temporary mini-moon might have actually been a piece of the Moon
New research suggests that Earth's recent mini-moon might have originated as part of our actual moon long, long ago.
Earth's recent mini-moon seems to be a lost fragment of our real Moon
The small near-Earth asteroid 2024 PT5 has been creating a buzz among researchers. Discovered last year with the help of a NASA-funded telescope, it is only about 33 feet across and does not pose any threat to Earth.
The mystery of Earth’s Mini-Moon: Is it a lost piece of the lunar puzzle that might have drifted away?
Astronomers now suggest that the small celestial body, initially dubbed Earth’s “mini-moon” 2024 PT5, might be a lunar fragment. Discovered in August 2023, this 33-feet wide space rock mimics Earth’s orbit and closely resembles lunar samples.
Earth’s recent ‘mini-moon’ may be an actual piece of the moon, astronomers say
An asteroid that orbited near Earth for a few months as a mini-moon may be a chunk of the moon that was blasted off by an impact thousands of years ago.
Could This Asteroid Be a Lost Chunk of the Moon?
PT5, a near-Earth object discovered last year, has captivated scientists with its potential lunar origins. Likely ejected into space after a massive impact on the Moon thousands of years ago, the asteroid’s orbit closely matches Earth’s.
Earth’s Mini-Moon Mystery Solved: It’s a Chunk of the Moon
For a brief, but exciting, time last year, Earth had two moons. A small asteroid lingered close to our planet in its orbit around the Sun, temporarily caught by Earth’s gravity to become a far away mini-moon. A closer look at the space rock reveals a rather familiar origin: Earth’s mini-moon might actually be a broken-off piece of our regular Moon.
Earth's recent asteroid visitor might've been a piece of the moon
2024 PT5 is the second near-Earth asteroid scientists suspect was ejected from the moon's surface, the first being 469219 Kamo'oalewa, which a different team of scientists have traced to an old impact crater on the far side of the moon.
Earth Had a Tiny Second Moon for a Few Months. It Might Be A Chunk of the Moon
For a few months, Earth had a second moon — a tiny asteroid that may have been a piece of our own Moon
Earth's temporary 'mini-moon' might be lost fragment of the Moon
A small asteroid, referred to as Earth's temporary "mini-moon," could actually be a piece of the Moon that broke away thousands of years ago. The celestial object, called 2024 PT5, is about 10-meter wide and poses no threat of collision with Earth now or in the near future, thanks to its trajectory.
Was asteroid 2024 PT5 ejected from moon? Here's what scientists have to say
Asteroid 2024 PT5 was discovered by Nasa's Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS). Scientists believe that the ...
Asteroid 2024 PT5 Linked to Lunar Surface, Reveals Planetary Defense Insights
PT5 traced to lunar highlands; Apollo 14 rocks match Research reveals natural origin; trajectory rules out space debris ...