Mini-moon? Asteroid? What's the deal with 2024 PT5?

The internet has been buzzing about the so-called "mini-moon" that will remain in Earth's gravitational orbit for roughly two months.

The 33-foot-long asteroid known as 2024 PT5 was discovered by researchers in South Africa. But, it's not actually a mini-moon, and it is unlikely to be seen by the average skywatcher.

What is 2024 PT5?

The astroid isn't technically a mini-moon, said Casey DeRoo, a University of Iowa associate professor in the physics and astronomy department. 2024 PT5 will not make a full orbit around Earth, and it will only be in Earth's gravitational orbit from late September to late November.

"When we think of a moon, we think of something that is gravitationally bonded and it is going to stick around for a while and it does at least a couple of orbits," DeRoo said. "In this case, it is really just come and gone."

An asteroid or a Near Earth Object (NEO) are more accurate terms to describe 2024 PT5.

Graphics: What to know about asteroid 2024 PT5.

How common are NEOs or asteroids?

This isn't the first nor last NEO to enter Earth's orbit. There are about half a billion NEOs that are greater than a meter in size that the Earth could potentially interact with at any given time, DeRoo told the Register.

"So there is a lot out there for us to potentially interact with," DeRoo said.

It's not uncommon for a couple of gravitational interactions to occur within a year, DeRoo said. It is just a matter of noticing them. 2024 PT5 is roughly the size of a school bus, which puts it on the smaller side of tracked asteroids.

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"Asteroids of that size, there's lots and lots of them," DeRoo said. "They probably interact with us much more frequently than we even realize."

Will 2024 PT5 be visible from Iowa?

No, DeRoo said those looking to spot 2024 PT5 would need a telescope that has a larger lens than the University of Iowa's observatory owns.

"This is a school bus that is roughly at the distance of the moon or beyond," DeRoo said of the size of the asteroid. "Think about how faint that must appear, I think that really sets it in context. We are talking about something that is not that big and really far away."

How was 2024 PT5 discovered?

The asteroid was discovered through an observatory system called the Asteroid Terrestrial Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS). The program, funded by NASA, works to find and catalog asteroids that could be a threat to the Earth, DeRoo said.

"By doing this, we have accurately assessed and retired a huge existential threat to our society," DeRoo said. "This is one where we spent some public dollars, invested in knowledge and infrastructure and got it done. I am not sure anyone was losing sleep over asteroid impacts, but if you were, you don't need to."

Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @ Kkealey17 .

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Mini-moon? Asteroid? What's the deal with 2024 PT5?