A small space rock, initially dubbed Earth's mini-moon, has been identified as a piece of the Moon. The object, known as 2024 PT5, was first detected in August 2024 and gained attention due to its brief orbit around Earth.
2024 PT5, measuring about 33 feet (10 meters) across, was spotted by NASA's Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) on August 7, 2024.
Asteroid 2024 PT5: A New Moon Rock Revealed After Detailed Study
New research published in The Astrophysical Journal Lettersnow suggests that this asteroid is not just a passing space rock, but possibly a piece of the Moon, ejected into space from an impact on the lunar surface.
Teddy Kareta, a postdoctoral researcher at Lowell Observatory in Arizona and the lead author of the study, explained, "We had a general idea that this asteroid may have come from the Moon, but the smoking gun was when we found out that it was rich in silicate minerals—not the kind that is seen on asteroids but those that have been found in lunar rock samples."
Initially labeled as a mini-moon for its temporary orbit around Earth, the object traveled along a path similar to Earth's, but unlike a true moon, it never fully entered Earth's orbit.
According to NY Times, the object's orbit was described as a horseshoe trajectory, meaning it passed close to Earth before continuing on its journey.
Astronomers Find Evidence That Asteroid 2024 PT5 is a Piece of the Moon
Astronomers studied the asteroid's composition and found that it contained silicate minerals, similar to those found in lunar rocks collected during past space missions.
This discovery led scientists to hypothesize that the object is a fragment of the Moon.
The asteroid's lack of space weathering, which typically alters objects over time, suggests that it hasn't been drifting in space for long, possibly ejected from the Moon just tens of thousands of years ago.
This discovery follows a similar finding in 2021, when another asteroid, 469219 Kamoʻoalewa, was also linked to the Moon, Mashable said.
The growing evidence suggests that there may be a population of objects, referred to as lunar ejecta, that are pieces of the Moon orbiting close to Earth.
While there are no immediate plans to collect samples of 2024 PT5, China is developing a mission to retrieve samples from Kamoʻoalewa.
Scientists are eager to learn more about the origins of these unusual objects, which continue to fascinate both experts and the public alike.
