The object orbits the Sun but makes slow close approaches to the Earth–Moon system. Between 29 September (19:54 UTC) and 25 November 2024 (16:43 UTC) (a period of 1 month and 27 days) it passed just outside Earth's Hill sphere (roughly 0.01 AU [1.5 million km; 0.93 million mi]) at a low relative velocity (in the range 0.002 km/s (4.5 mph) – 0.439 km/s [980 mph]) and became temporarily captured by Earth's gravity, with a geocentric orbital eccentricity of less than 1 and negative geocentric orbital energy. The most recent closest approach to Earth was 8 August 2024 at roughly 567,000 km (352,000 mi) when it had a relative velocity of 1.37 km/s (3,100 mph). It also approached Earth on 9 January 2025 at roughly 1,801,158 km (1,119,188 mi) when it had a relative velocity of 1.03 km/s (2,300 mph).
The object is expected to make another approach in 2055. This object will return to orbit around Earth in 2084 for about 43 days.
Entering and Exiting Geocentric OrbitIts color indices and the spectrum obtained with Gemini North best matches lunar rock samples followed by S-complex asteroids and has a rotation period of around 0.7h. Its visible spectrum obtained with GTC is consistent with that of an Sv-type asteroid or perhaps lunar ejecta. Its reflectance spectrum in the range 350–2,350 nanometres (3,500–23,500 Å) obtained with LDT/IRTF is inconsistent with artificial objects and asteroids, its surface is quite red, well matched by samples of the Moon, both Maria and Highlands. Its spectrum is similar to that of Earth's quasi-satellite 469219 Kamoʻoalewa 2016 HO3 and Earth's minimoon 2022 NX1.
In January 2025, scientists determined that 2024 PT5 is composed of ejecta from an impact on the Moon and also determined 2024 PT5's orbital path was dominantly heliocentric and so should not be considered a minimoon.
"2024 PT5 Orbit". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 10 September 2024. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=2024+PT5
Earth to capture a 'second moon' this weekend, NASA says https://phys.org/news/2024-09-earth-capture-moon-weekend-nasa.html
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"JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2024 PTR5)" (last observation: 28 August 2024; arc: 21 days (122 obs)). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 10 September 2024. https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=2024PT5&view=OPC
"JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2024 PTR5)" (last observation: 28 August 2024; arc: 21 days (122 obs)). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 10 September 2024. https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=2024PT5&view=OPC
"Sentry: Earth Impact Monitoring". JPL/CNEOS. https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/sentry/removed.html
Dunn, Marcia (24 November 2024). "Earth's 'mini moon' may have been a chunk of our actual moon". Associated Press. Retrieved 25 November 2024. https://apnews.com/article/earth-mini-moon-adfb22fa82a01d168c1b663acf10eb92
Robert Lea (26 November 2024). "Earth's mini-moon has finally departed. Will it ever return as a 'second moon?'". Space.com. Retrieved 1 December 2024. https://www.space.com/goodnight-second-moon-asteroid-2024PT5
de la Fuente Marcos, Raúl; de León, Julia; Serra-Ricart, Miquel; de la Fuente Marcos, Carlos; Alarcon, Miguel R.; Licandro, Javier; Geier, Stefan; Tejero, Alvaro; Perez Romero, Alberto; Perez-Toledo, Fabricio; Cabrera-Lavers, Antonio (6 February 2025). "Basaltic quasi-mini-moon: Characterizing 2024 PT5 with the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias and the Two-meter Twin Telescope". Astronomy & Astrophysics Letters. 694 (1): L5 (10 pages). arXiv:2411.08834. Bibcode:2025A&A...694L...5D. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202452713. https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2025/02/aa52713-24/aa52713-24.html
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"JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris for 2024 PT5 orbit of Earth (geocentric) for September – November 2024". JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 10 September 2024. Geocentric solution. Ephemeris Type: Orbital Elements / Center: @399 https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons_batch.cgi?batch=1&COMMAND=%272024+PT5%27&TABLE_TYPE=%27ELEMENTS%27&START_TIME=%272024-Sep-01%27&STOP_TIME=%272024-Nov-30%27&STEP_SIZE=%271%20day%27&CENTER=%27@399%27&OUT_UNITS=%27AU-D%27
"JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris for 2024 PT5 orbit of Earth (geocentric) for September – November 2024". JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 10 September 2024. Geocentric solution. Ephemeris Type: Orbital Elements / Center: @399 https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons_batch.cgi?batch=1&COMMAND=%272024+PT5%27&TABLE_TYPE=%27ELEMENTS%27&START_TIME=%272024-Sep-01%27&STOP_TIME=%272024-Nov-30%27&STEP_SIZE=%271%20day%27&CENTER=%27@399%27&OUT_UNITS=%27AU-D%27
"JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris for 2024 PT5 orbit of Earth (geocentric) for September – November 2024". JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 10 September 2024. Geocentric solution. Ephemeris Type: Orbital Elements / Center: @399 https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons_batch.cgi?batch=1&COMMAND=%272024+PT5%27&TABLE_TYPE=%27ELEMENTS%27&START_TIME=%272024-Sep-01%27&STOP_TIME=%272024-Nov-30%27&STEP_SIZE=%271%20day%27&CENTER=%27@399%27&OUT_UNITS=%27AU-D%27
Bolin, Bryce T.; Denneau, Larry; Abron, Laura-May; Jedicke, Robert; Chiboucas, Kristin; Ingerbretsen, Carl; Lemaux, Brian C. (9 January 2025). "The Discovery and Characterization of Minimoon 2024 PT5". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 978 (2): L37. arXiv:2411.08029. Bibcode:2025ApJ...978L..37B. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ada1d0. https://doi.org/10.3847%2F2041-8213%2Fada1d0
de la Fuente Marcos, Raúl; de León, Julia; Serra-Ricart, Miquel; de la Fuente Marcos, Carlos; Alarcon, Miguel R.; Licandro, Javier; Geier, Stefan; Tejero, Alvaro; Perez Romero, Alberto; Perez-Toledo, Fabricio; Cabrera-Lavers, Antonio (6 February 2025). "Basaltic quasi-mini-moon: Characterizing 2024 PT5 with the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias and the Two-meter Twin Telescope". Astronomy & Astrophysics Letters. 694 (1): L5 (10 pages). arXiv:2411.08834. Bibcode:2025A&A...694L...5D. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202452713. https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2025/02/aa52713-24/aa52713-24.html
Robert Lea (22 November 2024). "Earth's 'second moon' is just visiting its cosmic parents for Thanksgiving". Space.com. Retrieved 1 December 2024. https://www.space.com/earth-second-moon-2024-PT5-asteroid
"LDT/IRTF reflectance spectrum" (PDF) (350-2350 nm spectrum). International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN). Retrieved 15 November 2024. https://iawn.net/documents/20240917_19th_virtual/IAWN_2024_Kareta.pdf
Kareta, Theodore; Fuentes-Muñoz, Oscar; Moskovitz, Nicholas; Farnocchia, Davide; Sharkey, Benjamin N. L. (14 January 2025). "On the Lunar Origin of Near-Earth Asteroid 2024 PT5". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 979 (1): L8. arXiv:2412.10264. Bibcode:2025ApJ...979L...8K. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ad9ea8. https://doi.org/10.3847%2F2041-8213%2Fad9ea8
Kareta, Theodore; Fuentes-Muñoz, Oscar; Moskovitz, Nicholas; Farnocchia, Davide; Sharkey, Benjamin N. L. (14 January 2025). "On the Lunar Origin of Near-Earth Asteroid 2024 PT5". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 979 (1): L8. arXiv:2412.10264. Bibcode:2025ApJ...979L...8K. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ad9ea8. https://doi.org/10.3847%2F2041-8213%2Fad9ea8
de la Fuente Marcos, Raúl; de León, Julia; Serra-Ricart, Miquel; de la Fuente Marcos, Carlos; Alarcon, Miguel R.; Licandro, Javier; Geier, Stefan; Tejero, Alvaro; Perez Romero, Alberto; Perez-Toledo, Fabricio; Cabrera-Lavers, Antonio (6 February 2025). "Basaltic quasi-mini-moon: Characterizing 2024 PT5 with the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias and the Two-meter Twin Telescope". Astronomy & Astrophysics Letters. 694 (1): L5 (10 pages). arXiv:2411.08834. Bibcode:2025A&A...694L...5D. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202452713. https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2025/02/aa52713-24/aa52713-24.html
de la Fuente Marcos, Raúl; de León, Julia; Serra-Ricart, Miquel; de la Fuente Marcos, Carlos; Alarcon, Miguel R.; Licandro, Javier; Geier, Stefan; Tejero, Alvaro; Perez Romero, Alberto; Perez-Toledo, Fabricio; Cabrera-Lavers, Antonio (6 February 2025). "Basaltic quasi-mini-moon: Characterizing 2024 PT5 with the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias and the Two-meter Twin Telescope". Astronomy & Astrophysics Letters. 694 (1): L5 (10 pages). arXiv:2411.08834. Bibcode:2025A&A...694L...5D. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202452713. https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2025/02/aa52713-24/aa52713-24.html
Kareta, Theodore; Fuentes-Muñoz, Oscar; Moskovitz, Nicholas; Farnocchia, Davide; Sharkey, Benjamin N. L. (20 January 2025). "On the Lunar Origin of Near-Earth Asteroid 2024 PT5". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 979 (1): L8. arXiv:2412.10264. Bibcode:2025ApJ...979L...8K. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ad9ea8. https://doi.org/10.3847%2F2041-8213%2Fad9ea8