An international group of astronomers from the Mission Accessible Near-Earth Object Survey (MANOS) project suggested that the asteroid that passed close to our planet last year may be a fragment of the Moon. According to scientists, asteroid 2024 PT5 (abbreviated PT5) could have formed after a meteorite collided with the lunar surface. A preprint of their work was published on the arXiv portal.

An orbit similar to Earth's

The asteroid was first discovered in August 2024 by astronomers in South Africa. Its orbit, almost identical to Earth's, immediately aroused the interest of researchers. Such regions of space are usually saturated with debris that could have been ejected from the Moon as a result of strong meteorite impacts.

Analysis of the asteroid's composition

For a detailed study of PT5, scientists used the Lowell Discovery telescope in Arizona. Studies of the asteroid's reflectivity and composition have shown that it consists of rocks rich in pyroxene. This composition is typical for the lunar surface, but is much rarer among asteroids, most of which contain more olivine.

Unique Find

PT5 has become only the second known object that is believed to be a lunar fragment. At the moment, science knows only about 16 such objects. However, scientists believe that their actual number may be tens of times greater.

Future Research Prospects

The search for and study of asteroids of lunar origin requires improved observation technologies. New powerful instruments, such as the Vera Rubin Observatory with the LSST telescope, can discover more such objects. These studies will help not only expand our knowledge of the origin of such asteroids, but also better understand the history of the Moon and the Solar System as a whole.

What awaits PT5?

In the coming months, asteroid PT5 will again be close to Earth. NASA scientists plan to conduct a detailed study of it using radar, which may provide even more information about its origin.