In simple terms, a mini-moon is a space object that is temporarily captured in a planet's orbit, as opposed to regular moons, which are permanent fixtures. The researchers say 2024 PT5 will travel around the Earth in a “horseshoe” path for about two ...

The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) spacecraft, barreling through our solar system, recently used Earth's gravity to slingshot to Venus. The spacecraft, now millions of miles away, has looked back home. We're floating in an unconscionably vast black ether.

The hunk of rock, dubbed 2024 PT5 will fly into Earth's orbit, get caught there from Sept. 29 to Nov. 25 and then go on its merry way out into the solar system. Scientists call such phenomena mini-moons.

"The object that is going to pay us a visit belongs to the Arjuna asteroid belt, a secondary asteroid belt made of space rocks that follow orbits very similar to that of Earth at an average distance to the sun of about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers),

In just over one week’s time, Earth will gain a new celestial companion that will stay for two months in the planet’s gravitational cradle. Meet asteroid 2024 PT5, Earth’s latest mini-moon. “It is pretty cool,