Second Moon Over the UAE

A temporary satellite of Earth has been detected in the skies above the UAE

Scientists have observed a rare astronomical event: a small asteroid, named 2024 PT5, has been caught in Earth's gravitational field. This celestial object, roughly the size of a bus, will act as an additional satellite for our planet over the coming two months.

The asteroid was first identified on August 7, 2024, at the Atlas Observatory in South Africa. Its first close approach to Earth occurred on August 8, at a distance of about 567,000 kilometers. However, it was only on September 29 that the asteroid came close enough to be pulled into Earth's gravitational orbit.

According to scientists, 2024 PT5 will remain in orbit around Earth until November 26, 2024. Its distance from Earth will be approximately 4.5 million kilometers, much farther than the average distance to the Moon.