Today the Earth officially meets the second moon: Can Vietnamese people observe it?
Báo Thanh niên•29/09/2024
Today, September 29, the Earth meets the second moon. Many Vietnamese astronomy lovers are interested in and share this information.
Space.com reported that NASA scientists have calculated that Earth will encounter a second moon today, September 29. This "mini moon" is known as asteroid 2024 PT5, discovered by scientists on August 7, originating from the Arjuna asteroid belt and will return here after leaving Earth's orbit. This "mini moon" will revolve around Earth from today until November 25, before gradually leaving orbit. However, the celestial body is only about 10 meters in size, so it is difficult to observe from Earth.
The Moon is estimated to have a diameter of 3,475 km, 308,108 times wider than asteroid 2024 PT5.
PHOTO: HUY HYUNH
"While Earth's main companion is the moon, which has orbited our planet for some 4 billion years since its formation in the early solar system, this asteroid will only be a temporary fixture and won't even last through the year," Space.com said.
Observable?
Although the idea of the Earth having a second moon may sound unbelievable, the phenomenon is actually quite common, according to experts. After its short time around the Earth, asteroid 2024 PT5 will continue to orbit the Sun as part of the Arjuna asteroid group. While the moon dominates the night sky on Earth for at least half a month, 2024 PT5 will not be visible to amateur skywatchers. However, professional astronomers have been able to take some pictures of this second moon. As such, with conventional skywatching equipment, amateur astronomy enthusiasts will not be able to observe this asteroid. This is mainly due to the huge difference in size between the two objects. The moon is estimated to have a diameter of 3,475 km, which is 308,108 times wider than asteroid 2024 PT5. "This object is too small and faint for ordinary amateur telescopes and binoculars. However, astronomers can capture it with professional telescopes," the expert said. Although he cannot observe asteroid 2024 PT5, for Nguyen Tan, this is interesting information for those who have a passion for the sky like him. The young man said that while waiting to see photos of the second moon of the Earth from experts, he will spend time "hunting" for the famous comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan - ATLAS), which is lighting up the sky at dawn in late September.
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