Asteroid “Mini Moon” Follows Earth, Spins Away Toward the Sun

by Siheon Park, age 12

The mini-moon was an asteroid that only stayed in Earth’s orbit for two months. This extraordinary asteroid caught scientists’ eyes, even though it was not visible from Earth without specialized telescopes.

The mini-moon was first spotted last August, but it orbited Earth in late September 2024. It was 33 feet long and is said to come back in the year 2055, exactly three decades from now–however, just like last year, it will only stay temporarily.

The mini moon’s discovery was made by two brothers, Raul and Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, and their team of astronomers. They work for Complutense University of Madrid in Spain. Some scientists say it is possible that the mini-moon was a part of the real moon that broke away. They made hundreds of observations of this “moon” in 2024.

The mini-moon was more than two million miles away, making it too small for humans to see generally. NASA tracked the asteroid in January using its Goldstone Solar System Radar antenna in California. Scientists are still observing the mini-moon, and understanding its path far into the future.

[Sources: CBS News; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; AP News]