A new mini-moon the size of a city bus will begin circling our planet and hanging out in our skies until Thanksgiving week. An asteroid named 2024 PT5 will enter Earth's orbit, get caught there from Sept.

Though it can’t be seen with the naked eye or binoculars or a home telescope, but it can be visible to professional equipment because of its small size and made of dull rock.

An asteroid headed for earth this week is set to become trapped in our gravitational pull for the next couple of months, researchers say - giving us a temporary 'mini-moon'

You may have heard by now about Earth getting a second moon starting next week. I am going to be honest with you right out of the gate - this is not going to be as exciting as it sounds. First, let's start with what is happening.

A small asteroid named 2024 PT5 will temporarily become Earth’s second moon, orbiting the planet before drifting away from its gravity.

As astrotourism continues to take off, more travelers are planning trips on Earth based on night sky events—from solar eclipses and rare supermoons to the annual Perseid meteor shower. And while many of us mourn the early sunsets that fall brings, the extra hours of darkness offer an opportunity to tune into the celestial movements above.

Mini moons are just asteroids that get trapped between the Earth and the moon's gravitational pull, so they can't pass us by like they normally would. Instead, these asteroids travel around the Earth until they are able to get back into their normal orbit, giving the illusion of a second moon.

If you were hoping to see the “mini moon,” you’ve probably been disappointed. But experts say the asteroid was an important milestone in planetary defense research.

On Sunday, Sept. 29, Earth captured a new "mini-moon" called 2024 PT5. The bus-size asteroid is expected to orbit our planet for 57 days, but is too small to be visible to amateur skywatchers.

The tiny asteroid will remain in Earth’s orbit from now until Nov. 25, when it will exit and continue its journey through the solar system. “There’s no way for small telescopes to see this mini-moon.

Is this the first time Earth has had a mini-moon? No. Earth has had a few mini-moons in the past, some stayed with us for a few days, while some for years.