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A miniskirt - lunation that has been orbiting Earth for the past two month will unclothe aside from our planet ’s orbit today ( Nov. 25 ) as it prepares for a X - recollective jaunt through thesolar system .
The omnibus - sizing asteroid , know as 2024 PT5 , is currently 2 million stat mi ( 3.2 million kilometers ) from Earth and has commence to move away from our planet as it is whelm by the sunlight ’s gravity .
An artist’s illustration of an asteroid orbiting Earth.
The space rock was spotted by theAsteroid Terrestrial - Impact Last Alert System(ATLAS ) on Aug. 7 and snare by Earth ’s gravity on Sept. 29 , making one complete scope of our planet before now being snatched aside by the sunshine . object that temporarily orbit Earth as natural satellites are bonk as miniskirt - moons .
Where the rock came from is something of a mystery , but scientist have good reason to believe it isactually a chunk of the lunar month itself , likely turn out by an asteroid impingement centuries ago .
" Given the law of similarity between asteroid 2024 PT5 ’s motion and that of our planet ’s , scientist at NASAs shopping mall for near Earth object studies suspect that the object could be a large chunk of rock music ejected from the lunar month ’s Earth’s surface after an asteroid impact long ago,“Josh Handal , a program analyst atNASA ’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office , wrotein a web log post .
" rocket engine bodies from historical launches can also be incur in such earthly concern - similar orbits , but after analysis of this target ’s motion , it has been determined that 2024 PT5 is more likely of natural origin , " Handal add .
Related : How many moons are in the solar organization ?
Despite now being captured by the Sunday ’s gravity , this is n’t the last we ’ll see of our irregular companion . The rock music will swing back around for a farewell bye of the Earth in January , zipping by us at a much closer space of 1.1 million stat mi ( 1.78 million km ) and at double its current speed , before soar up farther into thesolar systemwhile orbit the sunlight .
— secret minimoon encircle Earth is in reality a 1960s rocket booster
— Brand - new mini ' moon ' find lurking in the outer solar system
— NASA discovers secret moon orbiting nearby ' planet killer ' asteroid after late airless approach to solid ground
NASA plans to cross this January flyby for a workweek using the Goldstone Solar System Radar antenna in California ’s Mojave Desert , which is part of the office ’s Deep Space connection .
After the miniskirt - moonlight has left , asteroid - watchers will have to wait until 2055 to watch the moonlight chunk again , when it is wait to once again make a partial lap around Earth .
Mini - synodic month like this one are n’t just peculiarity for space geek , however . Researchsuggeststhatthe rock music hold valuable mineral and piddle that could be used for rocket fuel , making them idealistic " stepping stones " for companies educate to mine asteroids .
