Earth Has A NEW MOON! 🌖 Learn English With Science News

Did you hear that Earth is  getting a new mini moon?

Today we'll read an article that  discusses this new mini moon and  

you'll learn 72 everyday English expressions.

Welcome back to JForrest English.

Of course, I'm Jennifer.

Now let's get started.

Let's review the headline.

A space rock is about to  become Earth's new mini moon.

So here we have Earth, of course, our moon,  

and this is the space rock that's  about to become our new mini moon.

Notice how the article uses about to become,  which means it's happening happening very soon.

Remember that you need the verb to be, and  then you'll conjugate the verb to be based  

on the subject and time reference and then the  preposition about and then the infinitive again.

It means happening very soon.

Let's look at this more advanced example.

I was about to believe when my boss came  into my office so you can use I was.

So this is the past simple because at this moment  in the past you were putting on your jacket,  

you were gathering your things and  you were leaving, leaving very soon.

But then your boss came into your office.

So both of these events are in the past.

So you put them both in the past simple.

I was about to leave when  my boss came into my office.

And when you want to show something in  the near future happening very soon,  

in the very near future, you use  the verb to be in the present.

Simple.

I'm about to improve my English because  in this lesson, which you're taking now,  

you will improve your English.

I'm about to improve my English.

So put, let's go.

Let's go.

If you're excited because you're  about to improve your English.

So put that in the comments.

And don't worry about taking notes because  I summarize everything in a free lesson PDF.

You can find the link in the description.

Now let's learn about this mini  moon Earth is about to gain.

So same sentence structure, but here  we're just using a different verb.

The verb gain in the infinitive, because remember,  you use the infinitive with this expression.

Earth is about to gain a new mini moon  but it won't stay around for long.

Let's look at the use of around because you could  

say but it won't stay for  long, remain in a location.

Now by using around, it simply  refers to the specific area.

So it won't stay around Earth.

Perhaps it won't stay around  a specific area for long.

You could also use the  expression it won't stick around.

It won't stick around for long.

Have you heard that stick around?

Stick around has the same meaning as stay around.

It means remain in a specific location.

So let's say this is an in person class.

All my students are right in front of me.

How amazing would that be?

And I say stick around after the  lesson if you have any questions.

So I'm saying stay, stay in this location.

So if you don't have any questions, you can leave.

Go to another class, go to the park,  go grab lunch, but stick around.

Stay in this specific location,  this room, this classroom.

If you have any questions.

It's very commonly used in natural speech,  so I recommend you add it to your vocabulary.

The newly discovered asteroid.

Let's review the pronunciation here.

Notice there are three sounds Asteroid.

But this middle sound is very fast.

Asteroid asteroid, asteroid, asteroid.

The newly discovered asteroid, named 2024 PT 5,  will temporarily be captured by Earth's gravity  

and orbit our world from September 29th to  November 25th, according to astronomers.

Did you notice that when I read these numbers,  I pronounced the TH even though it wasn't there?

In writing and more formal writing, it's common  to leave out the ordinal clause, here, the TH.

It could also be an St.

or an Rd.

3rd, 1st for example.

So it is acceptable to leave it out in writing,  and that's commonly done in formal writing.

However, when you pronounce the date,  when you say it out loud like I did here,  

reading it out loud, it would sound odd  to not pronounce the ordinal number.

So it would sound odd to say  from September 29 to November 25.

It doesn't sound right.

It was even difficult for me to say  this without pronouncing the TH.

So make sure when you say numbers out loud,  

if they're ordinal numbers, you  need to include that STRD or TH.

So let's review the pronunciation  of all four options.

I forgot poor second, so we'll  review that option as well.

So repeat after first, second, 3rd, 29th.

OK, so don't forget to pronounce those  when you say ordinal numbers out loud,  

including I work on the 4th floor.

I work on the 2nd floor.

You need to pronounce those as well.

I made the point here.

Remember optional when writing  but required when verbalizing.

So saying the sounds out loud,  are you enjoying this lesson?

If you are, then I want to tell you  about the Finally Fluent Academy.

This is my premium training program where  we study native English speakers from TV,  

the movies, YouTube, and the news.

So you can improve your listening  skills of fast English, expand your  

vocabulary with natural expressions,  and learn advanced grammar easily.

Plus, you'll have me as your personal coach.

You can look in the description  for the link to learn more,  

or you can go to my website and  click on Finally Fluent Academy.

Now let's continue with our lesson.

Then the space rock will  return to a heliocentric orbit.

I have no idea what a heliocentric orbit is,  but they define it and this is commonly done.

So if you see a definition you can assume that  this isn't common knowledge for native speakers.

So because it's not common knowledge,  

you don't need to worry about  adding this to your vocabulary.

I've personally never said  this or read this before now.

So what is it?

It's an orbit.

So they use the word before orbit.

Notice before they had the verb to orbit.

So here this was the verb to orbit.

So orbit is the process of moving around, right?

So the rock will move around.

So that's to orbit the verb.

But here they're referring  to it as a noun and orbit.

So this is just referring to it as a something.

It's the movement of it around the sun.

So that's the noun for an orbit.

So that was the heliocentric orbit.

It's an orbit around the Sun.

Before we move on, let's review this adverb.

Then.

Of course, remember then  means following these dates.

So let's review some other choices because  adding adverbs or transition words,  

adverbial phrases are a great way  to make your your idea more complex,  

your message more complex, especially  in writing, but also in more formal  

presentations, speeches, job interviews,  or even just at meetings or at work.

You could say next after for this one,  

you could also just say after or after November  25th because that was the last reference date.

Remember to verbalize it.

You would add that TH sound November 25th,  

but in writing you don't have to  following this or following that.

You wouldn't just say following.

You would have to include this or  that or following November 25th,  

subsequently would be the most formal 1.

So if you're in a very formal  environment in both writing  

or speech, subsequently would be a great choice.

The other ones are all everyday.

They sound professional, but  subsequently sounds more formal.

Subsequently, which just means then  next subsequently the space rock will  

return to an heliocentric orbit,  which is an orbit around the sun.

Details about the ephemeral.

Do you know what this means?

Ephemeral.

And what do you notice  about my pronunciation here?

Ephemeral.

Femoral.

So it's pronounced as an F Ephemeral.

Ephemeral.

This means lasting for only a short time.

It sounds more formal.

It's not commonly used in everyday speech.

It also sounds more poetic,  

so you could say something like the  beauty of a flower is ephemeral.

So if you want to sound very poetic  or if you want to sound more formal,  

this is a great word choice, but it's  not commonly used in everyday speech.

Details about the ephemeral mini moon, the  mini moon, the space rock, the asteroid.

So so far we have three different names  and it's only lasting for a short time.

Details about the ephemeral mini  moon and the horseshoe shaped path.

Horseshoe shaped path.

That's a little bit of a tongue twister.

So a horseshoe that's AU  pattern horseshoe shaped path.

So that's the path it will be traveling on.

So this is just to describe the  path it travels were published  

this month in the research notes of  the American Astronomical Society.

So here note that were is conjugated with details.

So even though there's all this information  following it, this verb to be is conjugated  

with details, which is why it's third  person plural details were published.

All of this gives you more information  about what type of details.

Let's continue.

Astronomers first spotted the asteroid.

Do you know what to spot?

Means when you spot something first spotted?

They first saw the asteroid, so when you see  something for the first time, you spot it.

We also use the verb spot when  something is more difficult to  

see, so you might detect it or  notice it with conscious effort.

For example, did you spot any mistakes?

I might ask you to review something I  wrote and ask you if you saw any mistakes,  

but it's more through careful  consideration or looking closely.

Did you spot any mistakes?

Or I might show you 2 pictures and ask.

Can you spot the differences?

This is a game that's often included in  magazines on airlines for example, or trains.

There are two pictures and they tell you there are  

5 differences and you have to  try to spot the differences.

Can you spot the differences?

Can you detect them or notice them?

Astronomers first spotted the asteroid,  the space rock or mini moon on August 7th.

Remember, because I'm verbalizing  this, I pronounce the TH.

It's optional in writing, so  I'll just highlight this again.

So you remember that on August 7th, using the  South Africa based observatory of the NASA  

funded asteroid Terrestrial Impact  Last Alert System, or Atlas.

Wow, that's a long name.

And that's why they generally  shorten the name to the acronym.

And going forward, you can  just refer to this as Atlas.

The asteroid is likely about  37 feet 11 meters in diameter.

So here they give the measurement the  diameter, which is the length across.

That's the diameter.

But notice they used the word likely.

The asteroid is likely about 37 feet.

So about means approximately is the  more casual way to say approximately,  

and then likely means probable  or expected but not guaranteed.

So it sounds like they don't know the exact size.

They're giving an approximation, which makes  sense in this case because it's an asteroid,  

but this is very commonly used in everyday speech.

You can say I'll likely take the bus.

This means it's probable, it's  expected, but it's not guaranteed.

So if someone asks you how are you going to  get to the airport, I'll likely take the bus,  

but you may take a taxi or you may drive  because this isn't guaranteed, it's expected.

So if I ask you, are you  going to watch my next lesson,  

You could say I'll likely watch  your next lesson, which is nice.

It's expected but not guaranteed.

So if you want to sound stronger, you  can say I'll definitely, definitely,  

I'll definitely watch your next lesson.

So what about you?

Will you definitely watch my next lesson, if  you will put that That's right, that's right.

Put that's right in the comments.

Let's continue.

The space rock will orbit.

So here is this a noun or a verb?

Because remember we learned that both exist.

Well, you always know because  of the sentence structure.

So we here we have will, which is the  auxiliary part of the future simple.

And following will we use the base verb.

So I know that this is a verb based on sentence  structure and this is the future simple.

The space rock will orbit about 2.6 million  miles away, 4.2 million kilometers away.

So what was the more formal way of saying about?

Do you remember approximately?

Approximately is the more formal way,  but you can absolutely use about.

So you could say it will take two hours to finish  the report if you want to sound definitive,  

or you could say it will take about  two hours, approximately 2 hours.

OK, so how much is this distance?

I certainly don't know how far  to 4.2 million kilometers is,  

but so they give us a reference  point or about again another  

about or approximately 10 times the  distance between Earth and the Moon.

So this is a more helpful way to help the average  

person understand this distance 10 times  the distance between Earth and the moon.

As a result, asteroid 2024 PT 5  isn't in any danger of colliding  

with Earth now or over the next few decades.

That's a relief because do  you know what collide means?

Well, if they collide, it would  be another way of saying hit,  

but it sounds very dramatic to  collide, so to hit strongly.

You hear this word a lot when reporting accidents.

So maybe you're driving and you say,  Oh no, those cars are about to collide.

So you notice that two cars are  moving very closely together.

So you say quick honk.

So you want to get their  attention so you can avoid it,  

avoid this situation because  it hasn't happened yet.

How do you know because this word about to  which we previously learned those cars are  

about to collide quick honk and then thankfully  they didn't collide because you acted quickly.

So here we have.

But this is used in a positive  way because asteroid 2024 PT 5.

That's the name of this mini moon space  rock isn't in any danger of colliding,  

isn't in any danger of colliding.

You could also replace these 3  words in any danger with at risk.

But notice you still need your verb to be,  which is here because it's to be at risk.

And you need the preposition of  because it's to be at risk of.

And then notice we have our ING  because we have our preposition of.

So you need the gerund verb after  and let's look at as a result.

This is a transition phrase.

It's a group of words that help show  the connection between the ideas.

So this information that we're learning, the  fact that there's no risk of collision is a  

result of the fact that the distance is so vast,  there's such a large distance between the two.

As a result, is the preferred choice in  a more professional or formal situation,  

in casual everyday situations,  the preferred choice would be.

So let's look at this example here.

The order was late.

Now I want to show the consequence of that.

As a result, we lost the contract.

So you could just have these two sentences.

The order was late, we lost the contract, but  it just sounds like 2 individual sentences.

Where's the connection between them?

And that's the importance of transitional  phrases or words as a result.

And then if you want to  sound more casual everyday.

So we lost the contract and now I  understand the connection between these two.

Earth has previously captured  other temporary mini moons such  

as asteroid 2020 CD 3, although  that asteroid was first spotted.

Oh, and now you know what this means.

If you wanted to replace this with.

The verb to see what would be the conjugation,  

although that asteroid was  first seen was first seen.

Seen is the past participle and we want  that because this is in the passive voice.

That asteroid was first seen to be seen  because the subject isn't doing the action.

So this is the passive voice.

You could say the astronomers first saw the  

asteroid to show the active  voice, but this is passive.

That asteroid was first seen.

The asteroid is receiving the action.

So that asteroid was first  spotted whirling around.

So whirling around means to  move in a circular motion,  

and usually quite quickly,  but also more erratically.

So erratically means in an  unpredictable or uncontrolled way.

So my hair might whirl around in the wind.

It's not following a specific pattern,  it's just more uncontrollable erratically.

Or you can think of leaves in the wind.

Leaves will move around in a circular motion,  

the leaves from trees, of course, but  it's not in a very orderly pattern.

It's more erratic.

They're just whirling around.

Let's review that sentence again.

Although that asteroid was first spotted whirling  

around Earth in February 2020 and  departed a couple of months later,  

research showed it had orbited our planet  for a few years before being detected.

So again, remember, spotted was we could also  think of it as to be detected or noticed.

So you could say before being  detected, seen or spotted.

And again, this is the passive  voice because the asteroid was  

detected before being detected because it's  receiving the action, not doing the action.

You could turn this into the active and say before  astronomers detected it detected the asteroid.

So this is in the active form.

It's not easy for asteroids to become mini  moons because they have to be traveling at  

just the right speed and direction  to be captured by earths gravity.

Instead of saying not easy you could replace  this with one word that means the opposite.

So if something isn't easy, it means  it's difficult or it's challenging.

So notice here to be difficult to be challenging.

You would keep the subject  and the verb it's difficult.

It's challenging for asteroids to become.

Now we use 4 plus noun and then two  with your verb, which is the infinitive.

It's not easy for asteroids.

It's difficult for asteroids.

It's challenging for asteroids now.

Why?

Because they have to be travelling  at just the right speed.

Previously we talked a lot about  about the word about approximately,  

but here just the right speed  means exactly the right speed.

So it would sound very different.

It would communicate a very different idea.

If you said about the right speed, it sounds like  there's flexibility, but if you say just the right  

speed, it sounds like there's an exact correct  speed that the asteroid has to be traveling at.

There isn't a range.

When you use about, it  sounds like there's a range.

The word just that means exactly  is commonly used in daily speech.

You need to add just the right amount of salt.

You don't need to include just.

You could say you need to add the right amount  of salt, but adding just sounds stronger.

You're emphasizing it.

You need to add exactly the right amount of  salt, no more, no less, just the right amount.

Or I could say this shirt fits just right.

So exactly right, not too small, not  too loose, exactly right, just right.

And that's the end of the article.

So hopefully you found that the  length of this lesson was just right.

Not too long, not too short.

So put just right if you think it was just  

right because we commonly use  that with with time as well.

So this lesson was just the right time,  

but maybe you don't feel that way  so you can let me know as well.

So now what I'll do is I'll  read the article from start  

to finish and you can focus on my pronunciation.

A space rock is about to  become Earth's new mini moon.

Earth is about to gain a new mini moon,  but it won't stay around for long.

The newly discovered asteroid, named 2024 PT 5,  will temporarily be captured by Earth's gravity  

and orbit our world from September 29th to  November 25th, according to astronomers.

Then the space rock will return to a heliocentric  orbit, which is an orbit around the Sun.

Details about the ephemeral mini moon  and the horseshoe shaped path it travels  

were published this month in the research  notes of the American Astronomical Society.

Astronomers first spotted the asteroid  on August 7th using the South Africa  

based observatory of the NASA funded Asteroid  Terrestrial Impact Last Alert System, or Atlas.

The asteroid is likely about  37 feet 11 meters in diameter,  

but more observations and data  are needed to confirm its size.

The space rock will orbit about 2.6 million miles,  

4.2 million kilometers away, or about 10  times the distance between Earth and the Moon.

As a result, asteroid 2024 PT 5  isn't in any danger of colliding  

with Earth now or over the next few decades.

Earth has previously captured other temporary  mini moons, such as asteroid 2020 CD 3.

Although that asteroid was first spotted whirling  

around Earth in February 2020 and  departed a couple of months later,  

research showed it had orbited our planet  for a few years before being detected.

It's not easy for asteroids to become mini  moons because they have to be traveling  

at just the right speed and direction  to be captured by Earth's gravity.

Do you want me to make  another lesson just like this?

If you do, then put yes, yes, yes, put yes,  yes, yes, yes, yes, yes in the comments below.

And of course, make sure you like this lesson.

Share with your friends and subscribe.

So you're notified every time I post  a new lesson and you can get this free  

speaking guide where I share 6 tips on how  to speak English fluently and confidently.

You can click here to download it or  look for the link in the description.

And I have another lesson I know you'll  love, so make sure you watch it right now.