Earth is about to gain a temporary second moon at the end of this month.

It sounds unbelievable to say or write, but it’s true: a tiny asteroid, referred to as a “mini-moon,” will orbit our planet from the end of this month until November 25th.

According to Pop Base, the asteroid, named 2024 PT5, will make a single orbit around Earth, starting on September 29th, and ending its journey on November 25th.

While Earth’s main moon has circled the planet for about four billion years, this new “mini-moon” will accompany it for a short time. The asteroid 2024 PT5 is part of the Arjuna asteroid belt, a group of space rocks that have orbits very similar to Earth’s at an average distance from the sun of 93 million miles (150 million kilometers).

Professor Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, who leads the research on this object, explains that these asteroids belong to the near-Earth object population. Due to its proximity to our orbit, 2024 PT5 could return to circle Earth again in January.

The asteroid will pass within 2.8 million miles of Earth, which, while it may seem far, is actually quite close in space terms, traveling at 2,200 mph. In comparison, the International Space Station orbits Earth at 17,500 mph.

Under specific conditions, the asteroid’s geocentric energy will turn negative, allowing it to temporarily orbit Earth. However, unlike our moon, it won’t complete a full orbit, functioning more like a “window shopper” than a customer, as Marcos put it.

Unfortunately, spotting the asteroid will be nearly impossible for the average person. It’s too small and faint to be seen with the naked eye or even with common telescopes or binoculars. Only professional telescopes, at least 30 inches in diameter with a CCD or CMOS detector, will be able to capture this mini-moon. A regular 30-inch telescope and human vision alone won’t be enough.