Why in the News?
In a rare celestial event, Earth’s gravitational field will witness a small asteroid, 2024 PT5, creating a “mini-moon” for two months.
What is Mini-Moon?
- A mini-moon is a small asteroid temporarily captured by Earth’s gravitational field, orbiting the planet for a short period before escaping back into space.
- Unlike Earth’s permanent moon, mini-moons only stay for a few months to a few years before being ejected from orbit.
- Mini-moons are a rare occurrence because most asteroids either pass by Earth or burn up in the atmosphere rather than being captured by Earth’s gravity.
- Mini-moons are usually small, often just a few meters in diameter.
- For example, 2024 PT5 is only about 33 feet (10 meters) in length.
- They are hard to detect and are usually discovered using advanced telescopic surveys like NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS).
Significance of Mini-Moons
- Mini-moons offer scientists a unique opportunity to study near-Earth objects, enhancing our understanding of asteroids’ behavior and composition.
- Mini-moons could contain valuable minerals or water, making them potential targets for future space missions to extract resources.
- Studying mini-moons helps scientists learn more about Earth’s gravitational influence and how it interacts with space objects.
PYQ:[2011] What is the difference between asteroids and comets?
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only |
