Earth will temporarily have a 'new satellite': scientists surprised by discovery.

Scientists from the Astronomical Research Center reported that an asteroid will approach Earth from the end of September to November and become its satellite for a while.

The space object 2024 PT5 will be in close proximity to Earth from September 29 to November 25, 2024. However, it cannot be seen with the naked eye, as it is too dim, and its size is about 10 meters.

The asteroid was discovered on August 7, 2024, using a collision alert system for Earth-bound asteroids in South Africa. Scientists have classified it as 'safe.' The asteroid's trajectory does not intersect with Earth's rotational path.

For 56 days, the asteroid will be close to Earth and will make a partial orbit around it. It will return to outer space on January 9, 2025, and will approach Earth again in 2055.

Astronomers explain that low-mass space bodies can temporarily become satellites of Earth due to the force of gravity. Asteroids that enter the gravitational influence zone orbit Earth and then continue their journey into space, almost without changing their trajectory.

An example of such an asteroid is 2022 NX1, which was a satellite of Earth for a short period in 1981 and 2022.

It is worth noting that much larger asteroids than 2024 PT5 often pass near Earth. For instance, on May 12, 2023, an asteroid 2023 HT4 with a length of nearly 80 meters flew past our planet. In the same month of 2023, an asteroid 2023 JD2, exceeding 110 meters in length and classified as 'potentially hazardous,' also passed by.