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A tiny asteroid named 2024 PT5 has captured the attention of scientists. Discovered last year using a NASA-funded telescope, it’s about 33 feet across and won’t harm Earth. Its unusual orbit keeps it near Earth without circling it, hinting at its origin from our Moon.
New data suggests this asteroid might have been ejected from the Moon after a powerful impact thousands of years ago. This ejection sent it on a path that brings it close to Earth, offering rare insights into how objects are shaped in space.
The study led by Teddy Kareta found 2024 PT5 is unusually rich in silicate minerals, unlike typical asteroids but matching lunar rock samples. This discovery could help scientists understand how near-Earth objects form and the processes that shape our Moon.
Researchers at NASA’s CNEOS analyzed its orbit, measuring solar radiation pressure, which affects small objects differently than space debris. The asteroid’s density suggests it is denser than most space debris, ruling out it being a human-made object like rocket boosters.
This finding adds to the growing list of natural near-Earth objects with lunar origins, including 469219 Kamoʻoalewa. By studying such asteroids, scientists hope to learn more about how impacts shaped our Moon and Earth’s early environment.
As new observatories come online, researchers may discover more clues about these mysterious rocks. For now, 2024 PT5 is another piece of the puzzle in understanding our Moon’s history and its role in our solar system’s past.
This discovery could inspire further questions about the Moon’s resilience and how fragments drift to Earth. The study will be published in *The Astrophysical Journal Letters*.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/earths-recent-mini-moon-2024-pt5-seems-to-be-a-lost-fragment-of-our-real-moon