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Earth has a second moon

The asteroid will orbit the Earth for around two months

Earth has a second moon
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Stephanie Wright
20/12/2024 17:30 ‧ 5 months ago | StarsInsider

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Space

Earth will have a second moon for about two months when a small asteroid, named 2024 PT5, orbits the planet. The asteroid, discovered in August, will revolve around Earth in a horseshoe shape for around 56.6 days. While other non-Earth objects (NEOs) have entered our orbit before, some don't complete full revolutions of the planet, and those that do become mini-moons. An asteroid called 2022 NX1 became a mini-moon in 1981 and 2022, and will return again in 2051. 

Should we be worried about the 2024 PT5 asteroid entering Earth's orbit? Is it be visible to the naked eye, and where did it come from in the first place? Click through this gallery now to discover the answers to these questions.

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