When approaching Earth, asteroids tend to do one of two things: Most of the time, they miss. Sometimes, they hit, leaving a bright streak in our planet’s sky or a gruesome new wound in its crust. But very rarely, asteroids are captured by Earth’s gravity and pirouette around the planet, becoming, in effect, a moon — albeit an ephemeral one.

The asteroid is expected to make a “horseshoe path” around Earth over the next two months, researchers wrote in a recent study. After it completes its mini-moon episode, it will stick around Earth’s neighborhood until January.

The hunk of rock, dubbed 2024 PT5 will fly into Earth's orbit, get caught there from Sept. 29 to Nov. 25 and then go on its merry way out into the solar system. Scientists call such phenomena mini-moons.