Astronomers are preparing to study asteroid 2024 PT5, which will make a close approach to Earth in January 2025. This near-Earth asteroid, approximately 33 feet wide, previously acted as a mini-moon from September 29 to November 25, 2024.
First observed on August 7, 2024, by the Sutherland telescope in South Africa, 2024 PT5 will pass at a distance about nine times farther than the Moon. Its trajectory mirrors Earth's orbit around the Sun, allowing it to remain in proximity for several months.
The Goldstone Solar System Radar, part of NASA's Deep Space Network, will track the asteroid during its approach. Scientists suspect that 2024 PT5 may be a fragment of the Moon, having possibly detached due to a past asteroid impact.
While it will not pose a threat, its prolonged presence offers a unique opportunity for observation. Initially thought to be a man-made object, further investigation confirmed it as a natural celestial body. Although it served as a mini-moon earlier this year, it is unlikely to do so again.