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

The title of "Earth will get a second moon" is technically true. As a moon is defined as "the large round object that circles the Earth and that shines at night by reflecting light from the sun." (Webster Dictionary). Since the asteroid is revolving around earth, and reflecting light off from the sun, it can be classified as a moon. On the other hand, it is misleading, because it will be too small to see with a telescope or binoculars.

Answer 2

By looking at these three articles relating to the claim, multiple of these articles discuss the same thing with the dates being all the same and talking about earth getting a temporary second moon being of any tiny asteroid.  This claim is consistent with the facts being the same making this not misinformation the one thing I will say they could been a little more specific with the tiny moon being asteroid but overall everything else is accurate and each article backs up each claim. 

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/21/earth-to-get-a-mini-moon-for-two-months-but-what-is-i

www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/09/19/temporary-mini-moon-will-begin-orbit-around-earth-next-week-what-to-know/.

www.space.com/earth-mini-moon-asteroid-2024-pt5.

Answer 3

The claim that Earth will get a second moon is very exaggerated. To add context the article states that an asteroid which is being labeled as a "mini moon" will orbit around for 2 months. Already the evidence you used shows that this claim is exaggerated as asteroids have many distinctions to moons. The asteroid is called "2024 PT5" and the event that will occur is temporary so this will not result in Earth gaining a "second moon." Simply the name "mini-moon" is just a nickname for this asteroid which caused the misconception of using "second moon" in your claim.

Sources:

https://www.npr.org/2024/09/21/nx-s1-5121914/mini-moon-earth-asteroid

Answer 4

The claim "The Earth will get a second moon for two months" is an inaccurate and misleading statement. The article by CBS news explains the notable phenomenon of an asteroid sought to circle the moon. After doing further research into NASA's direct message they explain the how the asteroid will orbit earth for a very short period of time. the main claim made by the CBS article is misleading and inaccurate the Earth will not be getting a second moon. This authors of the article use true facts within the meat of the article but the main claim and title is false.

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

Answer 5

2. The CBS News' notion that Earth would have a "second moon" is untrue. Using the term "second moon" to describe 2024 PT5 creates an overly dramatic idea of its importance. Although tiny asteroids like 2024 PT5 have the potential to resemble "mini moons momentarily," they are not at all like our real Moon. These asteroids, which are frequently tiny, only briefly orbit the Earth before reverting to their solar orbits. It would be more accurate to refer to 2024 PT5 as a temporarily captured object. After passing through Earth's gravitational pull, these asteroids begin a brief orbit that is frequently asymmetrical (such as a "horseshoe" orbit). They are usually too small to be seen without strong telescopes and lack the qualities of a stable, natural satellite like our Moon. 

Therefore, referring to 2024 PT5 as a "second moon" is incorrect and exaggerates its significance, even if it will technically orbit Earth. 

Sources: https://www.space.com/earth-will-capture-second-moon-sept-2024# 

Answer 6

The title of the article is a bit misleading because of the expectations it sets, but it's not untrue. NASA's definition of a moon is "Naturally-formed bodies that orbit planets". It is projected to orbit our planet for two months. Additionally, the American Astronomical Society also uses the language of "mini-moon" in their article about 2024 PT5. 

Here are the sources I fact-checked their information with:
https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/moons/
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2515-5172/ad781f
https://blogs.nasa.gov/planetarydefense/2024/10/02/nasa-to-track-asteroid-2024-pt5-on-next-close-pass-january-2025/ 

Answer 7

This statement that the earth will gain another moon is very exaggerated to the point where you could claim that it's untrue. The article linked describes how an asteroid is expected to orbit the Earth for a short period of time by looping around it and shooting back off into space. This can be a common occurrence for large objects in space such as planets and big asteroids. However, this doesn't give it the qualifications to be considered a moon. According to national geographic a moon is defined as "an object that orbits a planet or other celestial body that is not a star". This could cause confusion as to why some things are considered a moon and others aren't. The reason this particular asteroid is not a moon is because it's orbit is not long enough to be a 'natural satellite'. The asteroid simply was pulled in by the Earth gravitational pull and then slingshotted back out whereas our moon is in constant orbit with the earth. 

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/moon/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/earth-second-mini-moon-2024/

Answer 8

While it is technically true that Earth will have another orbiting object for about two months, and while it does meet the definition for a moon, it's misleading to call the object a full second moon as it would not be recognized as a true moon by common standards.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/earth-second-mini-moon-2024/

Answer 9

The article discusses a temporary small asteroid, 2024 PT5, that orbits Earth as a "mini-moon" from September to November 2024. However, this is not a permanent second moon. Unlike the actual Moon, 2024 PT5 follows a temporary orbit and will depart back into a solar orbit, returning to Earth's vicinity in 2055. So despite the credible source of NASA, the claim that Earth will have a second moon is somewhat misleading and too vague.

Answer 10

CBS' claim of Earth gaining a second moon is not inaccurate but misleading in its wording. The Earth commonly gains these notable objects such as small asteroids (what this is) and they often temporarily orbit (as a moon would). These objects under NASA's definition are moons as long as they orbit the Earth, this one is not particularly large or notable or visible or close and does not complete a full orbit>

https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/moons/facts/