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This autumn, the inhabitants of Earth will witness an unusual astronomical phenomenon - our planet will briefly have a second natural satellite. An asteroid the size of a city bus will be captured by the Earth's gravitational field and will orbit it for two months.
According to research published in The Guardian, the asteroid will orbit the Earth from September 29 to November 25, turning into a so-called “mini-Moon”. After this period, it will return to the asteroid belt orbiting the Sun.
Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, a professor at the Complutense University of Madrid and lead author of the study, explained that the asteroid belongs to the Arjuna Belt, a group of space objects whose orbits are similar to Earth's. Some of these asteroids can approach Earth at a distance of about 4,5 million kilometers.
At a speed of about 3540 kilometers per hour, the Earth's gravity has a significant effect on the motion of these objects, which can lead to the temporary capture of the asteroid by the Earth's orbit.
Unfortunately, only owners of professional telescopes will be able to observe this rare phenomenon. For amateur devices and binoculars, the asteroid will be too small and dim.