A tiny asteroid known as 2024 PT5 was spotted close to Earth by astronomers in 2024. This space rock, which was first believed to be a "mini-moon," has now proven to be more interesting than anticipated. According to a recent study, this space rock might have once been a component of the moon.

On August 7, 2024, the NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) detected 2024 PT5, which is approximately 10 meters wide. Between September 29, 2024, and November 25, 2024, the asteroid approached Earth in a horseshoe-shaped orbit.
As per a study published in Astrophysical Journal Letters on January 14, researchers discovered that 2024 PT5 likely originated from the Moon. It may have been ejected out of the moon's surface during an asteroid impact and was drifting around in space before coming close to Earth and being pulled by its gravity.

Similar to lunar rocks, the asteroid's composition is rich in silicate minerals, indicating that it was ejected from the Moon following an impact thousands of years ago. Furthermore, this theory is supported by its peculiar orbit around the Sun, which is nearly in sync with Earth's.