The Moon has a temporary junior companion and Earth has a second mini moon for a short time! A small asteroid was captured by the Earth’s gravity on September 29 and will orbit our planet until November 25, 2024.
This asteroid called 2024 PT5, was spotted on August 7 by scientists using the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System, a NASA-funded asteroid impact early warning system.
Even though 2024 PT5 will act like a mini-moon, we will not be able to see it because it is very small. This mini moon is only 10m wide. During its short 53 days tenure around the Earth, 2024 PT5 will not be able to make a full orbit, instead it will perform a horseshoe loop before breaking away from the Earth’s gravitational pull.
The Polaris Dawn SpaceX mission was historic for another reason. In a historic achievement for women in spaceflight, SpaceX engineers Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis have become the two women to fly further from Earth than any other in history.
The Polaris Dawn SpaceX mission has created history by successfully conducting the first ever “all civilian” and commercial spacewalk. An American billionaire, Jared Isaacman has become the first non-professional astronaut to do a spacewalk as a part of this mission.
This was the first spacewalk ever managed by private companies instead of a government. Jared Isaacman blasted off with three other people, mission pilot Scott Kidd Poteet and SpaceX engineers Anna Menon and Sarah Gillios. The SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn crew spent five days in orbit. The Polaris Dawn crew reached an unprecedented altitude of approximately 1,400 km above the Earth’s surface. The four-member civilian team travelled further into space than any humans for more than fifty years.
According to recent research published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, approximately 466 million years ago Earth may have had rings like Saturn. Experts believe that the ring of debris developed after a near collision with a large asteroid. The researchers also believe that the ring system may have influenced Earth’s climate by casting a shadow and blocking sunlight. A team of scientists at Monash University, Australia, studied 21 big asteroid impact craters on Earth and they noticed a pattern.
The team mapped out where all these craters would have been when they first formed. They noticed that they were all very close to the equator – within 30 degrees of it – not randomly scattered across the planet as one might expect.
Experts say that this pattern could be explained by a ring system. They suggest that a large asteroid had a close encounter with Earth, which resulted in it breaking up around our planet, forming a debris ring – similar to the rings seen around planets like Saturn.
Junior Ghostbusters! 🎃 Halloween is just around the corner, and it’s time to get into the spooky spirit with some super fun activities! Whether you’re planning a party or just looking for something to do with friends and family, we’ve got some awesome Halloween-themed games that will have everyone giggling and gasping! Let’s dive in!
These ghostly games are sure to bring lots of laughs and a little friendly competition this Halloween! Gather your friends and family, and let the spooky fun begin. Remember, the most important part is to enjoy yourselves and make lasting memories. Happy Halloween! 👻🎉
