Visit our website:
http://www.france24.com
Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English
Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/France24_en
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00A second moon for the Earth, albeit only temporarily. Earth's gravitational pull has captured a
00:05small asteroid, named 2024 PT5, which has become a so-called mini-moon.
00:11Asteroids that become mini-moons come within 4.5 million kilometres of Earth, a phenomenon
00:15which, although fairly rare, has already occurred several times in recent years.
00:22These objects come from the solar system at a relatively slow speed, around one kilometre
00:27per second, or 3,600 kilometres per hour. The Earth's gravitational pull is sufficient
00:35to capture them temporarily, resulting in a mini-moon.
00:42Without a professional telescope, it is too small and too far away to be seen.
00:47According to the European Space Agency, after escaping from Earth's gravity in November,
00:52the asteroid is expected to pass by again in 2055.