### Earth Set to Welcome a Temporary 'Mini Moon'

An intriguing astronomical event is set to unfold as Earth's gravity captures a new "mini moon." Unlike our familiar lunar companion, this mini moon is actually an asteroid roughly the size of a school bus, measuring about 33 feet (10 meters) in diameter. It will make its brief visit on Sunday, during which it will be temporarily trapped by Earth's gravitational pull.

The phenomenon of these short-lived mini moons is more common than we might think, according to Richard Binzel, an astronomer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Despite their frequent occurrence, they remain difficult to detect due to their small size. The last known mini moon was observed in 2020.

"This happens with some frequency, but we rarely see them because they're very small and very hard to detect," Binzel explains. "Only recently has our survey capability reached the point of spotting them routinely."

The latest discovery was made by astronomers Carlos de la Fuente Marcos and Raúl de la Fuente Marcos and has been published by the American Astronomical Society. Although this mini moon won't be visible to the naked eye or through amateur telescopes, it can be observed using relatively large, research-grade telescopes, according to Carlos de la Fuente Marcos.

This mini moon is expected to orbit Earth for around 57 days but will not complete a full orbit. It will bid farewell to our planet on November 25 before continuing its journey through space. Interestingly, it is projected to pass by Earth again in 2055.