Earth's new mini moon: Will we be able to see it in Arizona?

Earth's orbit will temporarily capture a second moon this year. This mini moon will loop around our planet from Sept. 29 to Nov. 25.

This mini moon is actually Asteroid 2024 PT5. It belongs to a group called Arjuna asteroids, which have orbits similar to Earth's. Because it will come close to Earth at a slow speed, our planet's gravity will pull PT5 in, causing it to temporarily orbit us. Eventually it will eventually return to orbit around the sun.

"The Earth seems to get these little companions a few times a decade, though we've been finding more as we've gotten better at searching for them," said Theodore Kareta, a postdoctoral researcher at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff.

Here's what to know about the 2024 mini moon.

What is the mini moon?

Mini moons are temporary views of small celestial bodies that orbit Earth for a short duration, ranging from days to a few months, without completing a full orbit. While short mini-moon events occur relatively frequently, several times per decade, longer occurrences are rare, typically happening every 10 to 20 years.

How big is the mini moon?

Asteroid 2024 PT5 is 10 meters wide, which is about 33 feet, roughly the size of a city bus. In contrast, Earth's moon has a diameter of 2,159 miles, making 2024 PT5 just a tiny speck compared to it.

Will we be able to see the mini moon?

The mini moon is too small and dim to be visible with the naked eye or most ordinary telescopes. Asteroid 2024 PT5 will have a brightness no greater than magnitude 22 , which is beyond backyard telescopes' reach. If your community has a planetarium, you could check for public viewing opportunities.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Earth's new mini moon: Will we be able to see it in Arizona?