GS Paper - III

The mysteries of the universe are beyond imagination. Earth, the only planet in our solar system known to support life and home to a natural satellite—the moon—is now getting a temporary “mini-moon.” Like our regular moon, this celestial body will orbit Earth, but only for a brief period.

What is mini-moon?

• When a smaller object orbits Earth, it’s called a mini-moon. An asteroid named 2024 PT5 has been captured by Earth’s gravitational pull and will revolve around the planet starting 29 September 2024 until 25 November 2024.
• This is Earth’s fifth detected mini-moon, also known as a Near Earth object (NEO). The first mini-moon, 1991 VG, was spotted in 1991.
• A tiny asteroid, named 2024 PT5, has become Earth’s temporary companion. After approaching Earth for a long time, its path was influenced by our planet’s gravity.
• This caused it to become a ‘mini-moon’ for a few months, circling us until late November.”
• Technically, 2024 PT5 cannot be considered a mini-moon, as it won’t complete one full revolution around the Earth.
• Rather, it will revolve in a horseshoe shape for around 55 days and escape the Earth’s gravitational pull before completing the revolution.
• The mini-moon, in its infinite universal journey, is said to have escaped from the Arjuna asteroid belt.
• It is said to be roughly 10 meters (33 feet) in diameter and won’t be visible to the naked eye, and can only be spotted using special telescopes.
• Many asteroids pass near Earth every year. However, only a few get caught by the gravitational pull this way, as most of them are either too small or they travel farther away from the Earth.