Question

Earth will get a second moon for two months

Comments

The main claim of this article is not completely untrue, although it is misleading. The asteroid 2024 PT5 was discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, and will orbit the Earth during September and November and appear as if Earth has a second moon. However, further research via the ATLAS and NASA websites does not indicate that the asteroid will be a moon or have the same properties as Earth’s moon.

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This is a great detailed response.

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This source is missing critical information like, the object's size, details about its composition, information about its origin, an explanation of how it was discovered and some mention of the uncertainty in the calculations.

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This is a very vague response following a misleading argument. The article talks about an object that will orbit the country for a little while but is nothing close to a moon.

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Your fact check on the asteroid 2024 PT5 is mostly accurate, but it could be clearer. You mentioned that the asteroid will appear as if Earth has a second moon, which is misleading. According to NASA and ATLAS, 2024 PT5 will not be captured by Earth’s gravity and will remain about nine times farther away from Earth than the Moon. This means it won’t have the same properties or appearance as Earth’s moon. It would be helpful to clarify this distinction to avoid misconceptions. Additionally, while you did a good job referencing ATLAS and NASA, it would strengthen your argument to include specific data or quotes from these sources. For example, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory provides detailed information about the asteroid’s orbit around the Sun, which supports your point that it won’t orbit Earth. Including this information would make your fact check more robust and informative. Overall, your fact check is well-researched, but adding these details would improve its clarity and accuracy.

Answer 1

This article, “Earth will get a second ‘mini moon’ for 2 months this year,” is false and misleading. The title is not only exaggerated, but wrong in regards to what a “mini moon” is. The article claims, “Earth will get a second moon for about two months this year when a small asteroid begins to orbit our planet.” Firstly, moons are different from asteroids in regards to their makeup. Secondly after researching, NASA made it evident that the asteroid will never be encapsulated in Earth’s gravity, thus not being considered a “mini moon,” but rather just a notable object. The object is neither a moon, or a “mini moon.” The title and content of the article makes readers believe otherwise. The article’s sources “Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System” are correct in regards to what will occur when the asteroid is near Earth. The article explains how it will, “horseshoe orbit,” but exaggerate what it means to be a moon. The asteroid will not be visible and 9 times farther than the moon is from Earth, never making a complete orbit.

https://science.nasa.gov/planetary-defense/

https://atlas.fallingstar.com/

Comments

I appreciate your in-depth analysis of the astrological forces at play here. I'm curious to know where specifically you got your information from NASA, as the link  goes to a general page on Planetary Defense information, not specifically about what defines a moon.

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I am very glad that you included some very credible sources to show that the title of this factcheck is very misleading as it exaggerates some of the claims made by sources. But as previously stated I would like to see the link for NASA take us to the page about the "Mini Moon"

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Hi Stella_Holland,
 At first when reading the article, I thought there would be a second moon in our sky. After reading the article and your analysis, I realized that they were talking about an asteroid orbit. I like your use of NASA information to counteract the article's claims about how it's not a moon, but just considered an object. The funny portion about the article is that they make it seem that it will be visible to the human eye, but your analysis shows it will be further. I appreciate your in-depth explanation.

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I agree that the terminology used in the article can be misleading. It’s important to distinguish between a moon and an asteroid. Calling it a 'mini moon' might create misconceptions about its significance. In astronomy, the definitions matter, and I think this distinction should have been made clearer to avoid confusion.

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Yeah, I get you. The term "mini moon" can totally throw people off. It makes it sound like it’s some tiny version of a real moon, when it's more like a small asteroid passing by Earth. They definitely should’ve been clearer about that to avoid confusion. In space stuff, details matter, and using the right words helps everyone understand what’s actually going on.

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The use of credible sources was really good as it made your fact check very strong. The word moon is used very loosely in the articles the original commentator used and your sources and testament really brings that to light. The title of the articles and the claim itself is used to draw people in, clickbait.

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I appreciate your explanation of this claim and why it's misleading. The articles title might lead someone to believe that there would be a visible second moon in the sky, and not just an asteroid. It's important that these news outlets aren't misleading people even if the information they are sharing is technically accurate.

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I completely agree, the title is very misleading and easy to jump to conclusions. I appreciate the clarification between 'mini moons'. Like other people have said, the title is very easy to make assumptions from and I think your analysis was a good way to explain the societal problem of clickbait.

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I agree, the article is very misleading due to it calling the asteroid a "mini moon". Thank you for your explanation. The composition of a moon and asteroid are different and was exaggerated for the sake of gaining views.

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I agree with the argument you've made regarding the title being misleading. I thought it was just CBS exaggerating the second moon claim, however, after searching, I saw that many publications such as CNET and Time had published articles with similar claims. On further inspection, I found that CNET is owned by CBS, which explains the sourcing and title of the claim.

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Your fact-check hits the mark by clarifying the difference between asteroids and moons, and it rightly points out that the asteroid won't be captured by Earth's gravity, so it’s not a “mini moon.” NASA is a great source to use,
However, you could strengthen your argument by briefly explaining what a "mini moon" really is. Adding a bit more context about the “horseshoe orbit” would help too. Overall, great job debunking the claim with solid sources.

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I completely agree and this is a very good factcheck. You explain very well why the claim and article are very misleading and easy to trick someone. You also did a great job in doing your own research explaining what the article was actually saying. Not a moon but an asteroid. It was very helpful seeing that you added 2 sources with links below your response so it is more professional. This is an excellent fact check!

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I agree. This is a very good factcheck. The article uses tricky wording to get the readers thinking of things that aren't true. Calling an astroid a mini moon will cause plenty controversy.

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I like that you commented specifically on the article being misleading. It is not false, since there is an object in orbit but it is intentionally misleading as the composition, lack of phases and many other differences are present within the moon but not asteroids.

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Why did you use Nasa as a source?

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This is a fantastic fact-check. Not only do you check the original source cited and find a secondary source, but you took the time to have a well-rounded understanding of the information. You explained how this claim was misleading while providing information to make your explanation more understandable. It was very powerful how you cited your sources throughout your response, making every statement significantly more trustworthy.

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I wholeheartedly agree; this is an excellent fact-check. You clearly articulate why the claim and article can be quite misleading, making it easy to mislead someone. You did an impressive job conducting your own research to clarify what the article truly conveyed—not a moon, but an asteroid. It was very effective that you included two sources with links at the end of your response, adding a professional touch. This is a superb fact-check! This is an outstanding fact-check. Not only did you verify the original source cited and find a secondary source, but you also took the time to gain a comprehensive understanding of the information. You effectively highlighted how this claim was deceptive while offering details that made your explanation clearer. The way you referenced your sources throughout your response was particularly impactful, enhancing the trustworthiness of every statement.

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I like how you referenced scientific information rather than just other journalism websites. You efficiently debunk the "new moon" theory and identify that it is an asteroid that will orbit Earth, not a second moon.

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I liked that you stated and researched the clear difference between a moon and an asteroid. Your answer was clear and concise, but thorough in thought.

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I think that this a great fact check response, and I agree that the article was misleading. With that being said I think this factcheck is very adamant that the asteroid not be called a moon, and I think that it was great to include NASA's take on it being a notable object.

Answer 2

By stating "Earth will get a second moon" there is somewhat of a misleading idea that stems from this statement. It leads the reader to believe that a whole new planet is being created and orbiting Earth. I would suggest making your title claim more detailed to where it isn't misleading. For example "Earth will have a moon-like object orbiting for 2 months."

Comments

I agree with making the claim a lot more precise. Just stating that “Earth will get a second moon” seems to be set up so that people will have to dig deeper than just reading the article itself. Instead of making it seem like a new planet will begin to orbit the Earth, it should be stated that this is just an object that will overlap the Earth and has no relation to the solar system itself.

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This is a strong callout the the word choice. I believe that you are on to something however, i would take this a step further and find information on the orbiting object so that it can be better identified and validated.

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I agree with with the others and the answer too, there should definitely be a change to the title to make the claim less misleading because this could indeed potentially create a misunderstanding. it should also indeed state that it was a floating moon-like object orbiting the earth instead of a "2nd moon is orbiting the Earth"

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This is poor word choice to catch the attention of the reader. If the article were trying to reflect the situation stated in the article correctly then it would state that it was a moon-like object that was orbiting around earth rather then claiming there is now a second moon.

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While the title may be misleading, the article's first sentence clarifies that the new moon will not be permanent. the confusion here seems to be about the definition of a "moon" which is defined by NASA to be "Naturally-formed bodies that orbit planets are called moons, or planetary satellites" (https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/moons/) therefore it is still accurate that the earth will have a second moon by definition, albeit for a limited amount of time as stated above. I disagree that the headline makes it seem that there will be a new planet forming and orbiting Earth as that is more associated with binary planets, not moons. adding the time it will orbit would make the article more clear to those that only read the headline.

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I like how you provided a suggestion to the person making the claim, but it would be nice to have some information about the "mini moon" from a reliable source and why that statement is false, and learn what the "mini moon" is exactly.

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Totally agree with you. Saying "Earth will get a second moon" makes it sound like some new planet or permanent thing, which isn't right. It would’ve been better if they just said something like what you suggested, makes it clear it’s just a temporary thing. That way, nobody gets the wrong idea, and it’s more accurate about what’s really happening.

Answer 3

This statement is definitely misleading and somewhat false. The so called "moon" is an asteroid named 2024 PT5, and it as been temporarily captured by Earth’s gravitational pull. The "mini moon" will be in orbit until around November 25th. I used the link provided below to help prove my answer.

https://www.kxan.com/news/earths-2nd-moon-has-arrived-what-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=(KTLA)%20%E2%80%93%20A%20second%20moon,an%20asteroid%20named%202024%20PT5.

Comments

The fact-checking answer is quick, simple, and easy to understand with more information available, and no criticism. Your source seems very useful and reputable.

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Ava_Squire, your factcheck is simple yet effective in criticizing the original user’s claim. However, though your response is practically flawless, I’d suggest briefly summarizing the articles you provide links to or placing them in conversation somehow. While the links you have in your response provide a basis for further investigation into your claim, comparing the information presented in your supporting articles in your own words could vastly enhance the reliability and specificity of your response. My slight critique is more or less attributed to often decreased attention spans nowadays as a result of social media (https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/attention-spans), so other users may be eager to see your answer all in one place rather than using the links. Well done and thank you for such a straightforward response!

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This fact-check is very simple and easy to read. It gets right to the point and explains your claim very well.  Your source is good and seems reliable.

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I like how your fact check is straight to the point and I appreciate the link to prove your statement. I also like how you explain that the "second moon" is only until November 25.

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Your sources seem very credible and your evidence was straight forward. However, I would take it a step further by expanding on your ideas.

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I appreciate how you pointed out right away it is an asteroid, not a "mini moon". It would also be good to add that the article you used stated the asteroid is "about the size of a bus". In comparison to the size of our planet, this is too small for us to even see. So it also is not even close to the size of what a "mini moon" would be. Shows the claim is false in two ways.

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I love that you presented a quick and easy article that truly details how easily misleading this article is as the asteroid is not equivalent to a moon.

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The source you provided seems to be very reliable and gives great explanation. This factcheck provides all the information needed to understand the claim at hand.

Answer 4

The claim that earth will get a second moon for two months is defiently misleading, the fact is that an small astroid named 2024 PT5, will be caught into earths grivational pull for 56 days. the misleading part is comparing a small astriod to earths moon, by calling it a "mini moon." The moon is composed of siliciate rock similar to earths crust, while asteriods can vary in composition depending on their location in the solar system, with some being mostly rocky, others metalllic.

https://homework.study.com/explanation/how-are-moons-and-asteroids-different.html#:~:text=Answer%20and%20Explanation%3A,and%20not%20around%20the%20Sun.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2515-5172/ad781f

Comments

This fact check is quick, gets the point across affectively, and has evidence that an asteroid and moon are different . The sources seem reliable.

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Read the sources, The articles posted for this claim have evidence of the difference between a moon and an asteroid and also have evidence for the object orbiting around the Earth. The fact check is effective and has evidence backing up their claim.

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This fact check does a great job of summarizing what the actual 'second moon' is and managing to make it concise and straight to the point. The IOP.org source is a reliable, trustworthy source that you used to back up your claim. I agree that the term 'second moon' is misleading, and wrong.

Answer 5

While new matter will be entering the Earth's orbit, it's not a new moon. In actuality, it's an asteroid that will begin its revolutions around Earth on Sept. 29th and leave the orbit Nov. 25th. Researchers are calling it a mini-moon, but that's not what it really is, it's simply an asteroid that will look like a second moon. It's only temporary and will not remain in Earth's orbital path. "Asteroid 2024 PT5 belongs to a group called Arjuna asteroids, which have orbits similar to Earth's. Because it will come close to Earth at a slow speed, it won't make a full loop around Earth; instead, it will eventually return to orbit around the sun." 

I got this quote from the article Are we getting a second moon? Everything to know about Earth's mini moon by Tiffany Acosta,  updated sept. 20th, 2024

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/life/2024/09/20/earths-second-moon-2024-pt5-mini-moon/75308274007/ 

Comments

I enjoyed how you included specific details that prove your claim such as the specific dates and background information on thee asteroid itself.

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Your fact-check was very readable and not wordy, which I enjoyed. You do a good job of knocking down this claim and provide plenty reasoning on why exactly it is not true. Not only did I learn that we are not going to be getting a second moon, this fact check helped me to understand what exactly will be happening, without getting too into the numbers. You also used a great and reliable source.

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This fact check was easy to read and straight to the point. I enjoyed where you clearly explain why the article's title is misleading, and then proceed to explain why, as well as provide the factual and correct information included with the source. This answer better helped educate not only me, but others who come across an article like this

Answer 6

https://www.kxan.com/news/earths-2nd-moon-has-arrived-what-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=(KTLA)%20%E2%80%93%20A%20second%20moon,captured%20by%20Earth's%20gravitational%20pull.

Although a second moon sounds like a much cooler name this second object in our sky is actually an asteroid named 2024 PT5. It's labeled a "mini moon" by scientists who discovered it and it was published October 5th. However, apparently this type of behavior happens every few years and these mini moons only occur for a month or two at most.

Comments

I appreciate the source that you included and the fact that you added the actual name of the asteroid that has been called a "mini moon", but I wish that you had included some direct quotes from the article, for example “There’s no way for small telescopes to see this mini-moon. It’s far too small — about the size of a bus,” Dr. David Reitzel, an astronomical lecturer at Griffith Observatory, told Nexstar’s KTLA. “Only the world’s largest telescopes can detect it, or a very long exposure is required.” Which is a very cool piece of information about the size which debunks the belief of a second moon further.

Answer 7

Earth's new "second moon" is just an asteroid paying a visit. This asteroid from the Arjuna asteroid group will follow a horseshoe-shaped path around Earth from September 29 to November 25, 2024, before being pulled back into its heliocentric orbit. It's described as a "mini-moon," but even that is a stretch as it won't complete a full orbit of Earth once. These "mini-moon" events are rare but not impossible, with similar events happening in 1981, 2020, and 2022. After the asteroid departs our orbit in November, it is said to be expected to make a return in 2025 and 2055.

The source for this information is where Tatyana Woodall debriefs the mini moons' birth in our orbit using information from NASA and interviews with planetary specialists about the importance of studying asteroids.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/second-mini-moon-asteroid#:~:text=Even%20calling%20the%20object%20a,make%20multiple%20circuits%20around%20it.

Answer 8

The initial headline can be extremely misleading. CBS is a very reliable source and while reliable this article is very misleading. Looking at the headline and through the article they structure it in a way that makes you believe we are actually getting a second moon. However it is just an asteroid that will orbit in earths gravitational pull. I used the link below to help fact check this article because while not necessarily incorrect definitely misleading. CBS also didn't interview anyone for the article just borrowed a quote from another publisher while NBC did take the time to interview Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, who co-authored a study about the asteroid.

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/mini-moon-asteroid-to-orbit-earth-temporarily-rcna172264 

Answer 9

This claim is not entirely wrong but is very misleading. According to the CBS News article provided, Earth will be getting what is referred to as a "mini-moon". An asteroid from the Arjua asteroid belt has started to orbit Earth. And when something orbits the Earth for a full revolution, it's considered a mini-moon. This will last from September 29th till November 25th which qualifies this asteroid as a mini moon. By no means the Earth will be getting a true second moon.

Comments

Nice work on your fact-check. Please include all source URLs (re: CBS) next time. Thanks! Also, it's best to include sources not included in the claim.

Answer 10

slightly mislead by the factcheck. it does not appear that the object that will orbit earth for two months is large enough to be considered a moon but instead just an asteroid that will be temporarily pulled into orbit. The "mini moon" moniker is likely a simplification to relate the story to the public, but it seems unnecessary.