<p>🌕 In the near future, we will witness an unusual phenomenon – for two months, Earth will have a 'second moon'. The asteroid 2024 PT5, about 10 meters in diameter, is temporarily captured by our gravity and will become a mini-moon. It will orbit Earth from September 29 to November 25, making about three revolutions before returning to the Arjuna asteroid belt. Unfortunately, its small size and dimness make it invisible to the naked eye – even with a telescope less than 30 inches in diameter, it is difficult to detect.</p>
<p>Interestingly, Earth has captured mini-moons before, and they haven't always been of natural origin. For example, scientists believe that one of the mini-moons, 2020 SO, turned out to be part of a rocket launched in 1966 as part of the Surveyor 2 mission. This example shows how humanity continues to impact the space environment, leaving a trace in the form of space debris that can remain in Earth's orbit for decades.</p>
