Earth's Mini Moon: A Cosmic Visitor with Lunar Origins
Earth's temporary 'second moon,' asteroid 2024 PT5, is believed to have originated from lunar material ejected during ancient collisions. This mini-moon, captured briefly by Earth's gravity, will leave on November 25, 2024, returning to the Arjuna asteroid belt. Its rapid rotation and spectral analysis support its lunar origin, suggesting it may be a fragment from the moon's surface. Such mini-moons are transient visitors, and ongoing surveys are expected to detect more in the future.