Question

Earth will get a second moon for two months

Comments

This wasn't necessarily untrue, but what was pulled in by Earth's gravity was not actually a 'moon'. It was an asteroid named 2024 PT5, which was referred to as a 'mini-moon' at most. According to KTLA, the asteroid was only about the size of a bus, which is nowhere near the size of our moon. NASA states that the moon is a quarter of the Earth's size, and we all know that is much bigger than a bus. While it is true that it was briefly within the Earth's orbit, it is misleading to not state the period of time in the title of your claim, as it gives off the impression that this 'mini-moon' is a permanent addition to our orbit. It was in orbit from September 29th to November 25th--about two months as was mentioned in your caption. The only thing this claim lacks is clarity in details that leads it to be misinformation. The site named Astronomy states that celestial objects must stay within a certain distance from another object in order to continue being in its orbit, and The Register Guard states that 2024 PT5's orbit will lead it (or has led it at this time) outside of that area, which means it cannot stay within Earth's orbit permanently.

https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/earths-2nd-moon-is-here-what-you-need-to-know/
https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/moon/five-things-to-know-about-the-moon/
https://www.astronomy.com/observing/why-does-earth-have-only-one-moon/
https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/local/2024/09/26/mini-moon-2024-pt5-asteroid-oregon/75378304007/

---

The headline is not completely false, only slightly misleading. When referring to a second mini-moon they are talking about an asteroid that will be entering the earth's orbit for a while. The actual substance of the article is all true, they go on to say that the reason that it can be called a "mini-moon" instead of just an asteroid is because it will make at least one full rotation around the earth. Additionally, the asteroid heading for the orbit is larger than some of our past "mini-moons" further granting it "mini-moon" status. Much of the research comes from a research article published in Research Notes of the AAS. The information matches up between the two sources and is reliable.

---

"Earth will get a second moon for two months" is true. Between September 29 and November 25, 2024, Earth briefly ensnared 2024 PT5, a tiny asteroid that is frequently referred to as a "mini-moon." This roughly 10-meter-diameter asteroid was found on August 7, 2024, by the South African ATLAS system. It entered Earth's orbit and stayed there for almost two months before reentering its solar orbit. While uncommon, these brief captures of near-Earth objects are not unheard of. 2024 PT5 was too small to be seen with the unaided eye, necessitating the use of professional-grade telescopes for observation.

I watched this video gaining more info on the topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aah1Ip9h2q8

---

this feels like a very big claim to make with such little information.

---

Your comment is very helpful adding in that earth will only gain said moon for two months which the original claim leaves out. The source you used is reliable in most cases as well and was picked out. Between September and November 2024 the earth was able to get a small asteroid into its gravitational pull and got what has been referred to as a mini moon.

Answer 1

While the claim that the earth will be getting a second moon for 2 months, is true, it lacks context. The second moon, a school bus sized asteroid known as 2024 PT5, began orbiting the earth on September 29th. The way the claim is phrased is sensationalized in order to drive click. The earth fairly regularly picks up stray astroids and comets and pulls them into an orbit for a few weeks or months before they drift back out into a solar orbit. 

Source: https://www.nbcmiami.com/weather/stories-weather/earth-just-got-a-second-moon-but-not-for-long-heres-why/3433266/#:~:text=A%20second%20moon%20joined%20the,and%20will%20briefly%20orbit%20earth.

Answer 2

This claim is exaggerated and misleading. The article states that the second moon will be a small asteroid orbiting the planet. This is misleading because asteroids are much different than moons. Yes, a small asteroid will gravitate around the planet, but it is by no means a second moon. While the information about the asteroid and its path in space is correct, the idea that it is a second moon is false and misleading.

Answer 3

I believe the claim is somewhat accurate but needs further clarification. The news article by CBS, states that an asteroid named 2024 PT5 is predicted to orbit Earth more temporarily as a "mini-moon", from late Sept. to late Nov. With that being said, fully claiming a second moon can make the reader think that a whole new planet is set to be created. The mini-moon isn't a permanent second moon, as it will eventually resume orbiting the Sun and be away from Earth. 2024 PT5 is larger than some previous mini-moons, but its small size and temporary orbit distinguish it from Earth’s permanent moon.

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

Answer 4

Earth will not get a second moon; instead, its gravitational pull will capture an asteroid named 2024 PT5. The asteroid will stay in orbit for around two months. This claim is not entirely false, as Earth will be getting a new object in its gravitational pull, but it is merely an asteroid, not a moon.

Answer 5

The claim that Earth will get a "second moon" is pretty misleading, it is not a moon in the same sense as Earth's moon we all know, but rather an asteroid that finds its way into Earth's orbit temporarily. The phenomena is relatively common, the "mini moon" does not affect Earth in the same way the moon does, and will leave Earth's orbit after a couple years. To call it a "second moon" is an exaggerated claim.

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

Answer 6

The fact-check seems a little deceptive. A "second moon" isn't really mentioned in the essay. It might be more precise to refer to the smaller asteroid that will orbit Earth as a "tiny asteroid near the moon" compared to as a "little moon."

Answer 7

The true claim of the CBS article is misleading. While the information is true on the surface, the nature of what is actually rotating around the Earth is very different than “another moon”. Reading enough into the article, you can find the claim that the Earth will have a second moon when a small asteroid begins to orbit our planet” (CBS). NASA writes that this asteroid will NOT be orbiting around Earth’s gravity rather than just a notable floating object. Also, the moon is a completely different type of object than an asteroid. Moons have phases and changes that do not exist within the makeup of an asteroid. While it is a notable object, the title is misleading in what the object is, and how it ended up in our orbit. A more accurate title may be that the Earth has a “moon like object” for the next 2 months to clarify it is not inherently a moon. 

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

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

Answer 8

The argument that "Earth will get a second moon for two months" is fundamentally true, but the second moon isn't what most people would picture. Rather than a natural satellite, the Earth will gain a tiny, captured asteroid named 2024 PT5—an object that's about the size of a car and which its discoverers have classified as a "mini-moon." Starting on September 29, 2024, this capture will happen and will last until about November 25, 2024, when 2024 PT5 will escape back into the solar system.

Comments

source: 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.

Answer 9

In the article provided by CBS, a reliable national news channel, their attention-grabbing headline exaggerates the truth a bit. Earth will experience an asteroid, that is a bit taller than a giraffe (so too small to see without any professional equipment), come into orbit for about two months and leave promptly. This asteroid is only referenced as a 'moon' since it orbits the Earth in a horseshoe motion for a bit, but this is only used as exaggeration or for comedic purposes. According to https://phys.org/news/2024-09-earth-capture-moon-weekend-nasa.html#google_vignette, the mini moon is "apart of the Arjuna asteroid belt, a secondary asteroid belt made of space rocks that follow orbits similar to that of Earth at an average distance to the sun of about 93 million miles." 

Answer 10

I found this claim misleading because the word "moon" is inaccurate in this case. Earth will have an asteroid orbiting it for two months, not a moon. This information can be found in the same CBS news article. Saying that it is a moon is misleading to people who believe there will be a similar-sized moon orbiting the earth along the moon we have now.