If you were hoping to see the “mini moon,” you’ve probably been disappointed. But experts say the asteroid was an important milestone in planetary defense research.

Although it’s being called a “mini-moon,” the object is actually an asteroid named 2024 PT5. It has been temporarily captured by Earth’s gravitational pull. The tiny asteroid will remain in Earth’s orbit from now until Nov. 25, when it will exit and continue its journey through the solar system.

A new mini-moon the size of a city bus will begin circling our planet and hanging out in our skies until Thanksgiving week. An asteroid named 2024 PT5 will enter Earth's orbit, get caught there from Sept.

Though the mini-moon will only be in Earth’s orbit for about two months, it’ll stay close to the planet for a few months, making its closest approach in January 2025, after which it’s expected to make a return to the planet’s orbit in 2055, according to the study.

On Sept. 29, the Earth will temporarily get a second moon. A small asteroid will be pulled into orbit before being released from our planet’s gravitational pull. NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) spotted the little asteroid on Aug.

On Sunday, Sept. 29, Earth captured a new "mini-moon" called 2024 PT5. The bus-size asteroid is expected to orbit our planet for 57 days, but is too small to be visible to amateur skywatchers.

On Sunday, September 29, our planet captured the tiny asteroid named 2024 PT5, turning it into a temporary mini-moon.

Asteroid becomes Earth's mini moon for 2 months