An Asteroid Is Going to Orbit Earth Like a Mini Moon for Two Months

A newly discovered asteroid, 2024 PT5, will enter Earth's orbit from September 29 to November 25. The small, rocky object was found by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in August. Unlike some past mini-moons that turned out to be space junk, 2024 PT5 is likely a real asteroid. It won't complete a full orbit of Earth, so it's called a quasi-satellite. With an absolute magnitude of 27.593, the asteroid will be too dim to see even with a typical telescope. Mini-moons are common, occurring almost yearly, with some returning for repeat visits.