The discovery of asteroid 2024 PT 5 as a "mini-moon" highlights the transient nature of such space visitors, lingering until November 25 before returning to a heliocentric path.
NASA's observations reveal that 2024 PT 5, measuring about ten meters across, is unlikely to pose any threat, as it would likely explode harmlessly in Earth's upper atmosphere.
Despite its capture, backyard astronomers may be disappointed, as 2024 PT 5's absolute magnitude of +27.511 makes it invisible to the naked eye or home telescopes.
The paper on 2024 PT 5 notes its orbital elements align with the Arjunas group, indicating it shares characteristics typical of near-Earth objects with stable orbits.
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