 "Was asteroid 2024 PT5 ejected from moon? Here's what scientists have to say")
A small asteroid momentarily captured by Earth's gravity last September had become a matter of discussion among space enthusiasts, with some calling it earth’s “second moon.” The latest study suggests that the asteroids could be part of our moon.
Earth gravity captured the 33 feet (10 meters) wide near earth object called '2024 PT5' in September 2024. The asteroid is not a threat to Earth, however, it could have one thing in common with earth, i.e., the matching orbit around the sun.
The surface of the asteroid contains silicate minerals found in lunar rocks, these minerals are not typically found in asteroids. This led scientists to suspect that this asteroid was once part of the moon
A new study published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters reveals the asteroid's local origins. According to the researchers, the asteroid seems to be composed of rock broken off from the Moon’s surface. It might have been ejected into space due to a huge impact.
This research is led by Lowell Observatory astronomer Teddy Kareta. He said, “We had a general idea that this asteroid may have come from the Moon, but the smoking gun was when we found out that it was rich in silicate minerals — not the kind that is seen on asteroids but those that have been found in lunar rock samples.”
Nasa detects 2024 PT5
Nasa's Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) detected the asteroid for the first time on August 7. This asteroid originated from the Arjuna asteroid belt, a collection of space rocks sharing similar orbits with Earth.
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2024 PT5 did not complete a full revolution around our planet as its path was changed by earth's gravity before it began its journey through the solar system.
According to Kareta, “It looks like it hasn’t been in space for very long, maybe just a few thousand years or so, as there’s a lack of space weathering that would have caused its spectrum to redden.”
Scientists analysed the speed of the 2024 PT5 to rule out its speculation of being junk. The calculation of the object's motion under the gravity force enables them to look for additional motion which is caused by solar radiation pressure.
Now, with the discovery of 2024 PT5, the number of asteroids originating from the moon has doubled.
In 2016, Asteroid 469219 Kamo’oalewa was found in an Earth-like orbit around the Sun, also indicating that it may have been ejected from the lunar surface after a large impact.