Astronomers have identified at least three asteroids that could potentially cause catastrophic damage if they were to collide with a city on Earth, according to a new study published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.
Key Findings
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Asteroids Identified: The researchers from Brazil, France, and Italy used computer simulations to analyze the orbits of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) that share Venus’s orbit around the Sun. The asteroids identified are:
- 2020 SB
- 524522
- 2020 CL1
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Size and Orbit: Each of these asteroids measures between 330 feet (100 meters) and 1.3 kilometers in diameter. While their orbits are not currently predicted to intersect with Earth’s orbit, they could potentially do so in the future due to gravitational interactions with other planets.
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Estimation of Similar Objects: Dr. Alessandro Mangiarotti, the lead author from Brazil’s Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, estimates that there may be hundreds or even thousands more objects sharing similar orbits with Venus, which are difficult to detect due to Venus’s brightness.
Research Methodology
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The researchers utilized data from:
- NASA’s Catalina Sky Survey telescope at Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona.
- Observations made by astronomers using smaller telescopes in Chile and Spain.
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Dr. Mangiarotti noted that while some objects had already been detected, more data was needed for confirmation.
Collaboration and Confirmation
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The research team has been working on this project since last year, initially detecting one object that was later confirmed by other astronomers using larger telescopes, including those at the La Silla Observatory run by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile.
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The ESO’s Science Operations Department, led by Dr. Olivier Hainaut, has also contributed to this research.
Potential Impact of Asteroids
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According to NASA, there are over 20 known potentially hazardous objects larger than about half a kilometer across, but only about six percent have been discovered so far.
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Dr. Mangiarotti emphasized that the survivability of an asteroid impact depends on various factors, including:
- Size
- Speed
- Angle of impact
- Impact zone
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He stated, "It would depend how big it is, how fast it hits, what part of the planet you hit."
Cities at Risk
Asteroids can cause significant damage if they were to hit major cities, including but not limited to:
- New York
- Los Angeles
- Tokyo
- London
- Paris
- Moscow
- Beijing
- Shanghai
- Hong Kong
- Seoul
- Mumbai
- Delhi
- Cairo
- Buenos Aires
- São Paulo
- Istanbul
- Dubai
- Karachi
- Lagos
- Jakarta
- Chongqing
- Shenzhen
- Chengdu
- Tianjin
- Nanjing
- Hangzhou
- Xi’an
- Harbin
- Zhengzhou
- Wuhan
- Guangzhou
- Dongguan
- Qingdao
- Shenyang
- Changsha
- Kunming
- Nanchang
- Jinan
- Fuzhou
- Xiamen
- Hefei
- Taiyuan
- Suzhou
- Wuxi
- Ningbo
- Dalian
- Quanzhou
- Zibo
- Jinhua
- Yantai
- Yangzhou
- Huizhou
- Handan
- Anshan
- Baoding
- Zhangjiagang
- Taizhou
- Linyi
- Weifang
- Jinjiang
- Zhenjiang
- Yangquan
- Xinxiang
- Anyang
- Heze
- Liaocheng
- Binzhou
- Dongying
- Lianyungang
- Yancheng
- Tongling
- Maoming
- Ganzhou
- Meishan
- Zhongshan
- Guilin
- Liuzhou
- Nanning
- Beihai
- Baise
- Fangchenggang
- Qinzhou
- Guiguan
- Wuzhou
This research highlights the importance of monitoring near-Earth objects and understanding their potential risks to our planet.
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