Having one moon has worked out pretty well for most of Earth's history, I think. Don't you think so?
But who's to say we can't at least try another??
Earth will get a second moon for about two months this year when a small asteroid begins to orbit our planet. The asteroid was discovered in August and is set to become a mini-moon, revolving around Earth in a horseshoe shape from Sept. 29 to Nov. 25.
Researchers at the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, an asteroid monitoring system funded by NASA, spotted the asteroid using an instrument in Sutherland, South Africa and labeled it 2024 PT5.
As an aside: 2024 PT5? Really? We can't get any more creative than that? "The Moon," "Luna," "Selene," these are all beautiful names for our orbiting planetoid. But "2024 PT5?" That's the best they could come up with?
Well, regardless of what it's called, here's the path it's going to take in the coming weeks:
Nothing crazy, just a simple pop-in, pop-out, like your in-laws on a Sunday afternoon. You'll barely know it was there.
But it won't stay away forever!
2024 PT5 ... will also return to Earth's orbit — in 2055.
We'll have that report ready for you in 2055 when it returns!
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