Though the mini-moon will only be in Earth’s orbit for about two months, it’ll stay close to the planet for a few months, making its closest approach in January 2025, after which it’s expected to make a return to the planet’s orbit in 2055, according to the study.

For nearly two months this year, Earth’s moon will have company — a second moon. Technically, it isn’t a second moon, but rather an asteroid from the Arjuna asteroid belt — named 2024 PT5 — that will be caught in the Earth’s gravitational pull, according to a study in the journal Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society.

It won't be there forever, but Earth will have a second moon when a small asteroid begins to orbit the planet later this month, space researchers have announced.