A group of scientists identified three near-Earth asteroids hidden among the in the inner Solar system and where one of them could place it on its way to Earth.
Astronomer and lead author of the paper describing this discovery, Scott S. Sheppard, noted that the findings “They are about 1 kilometer in diameter, a size we call planet killers.”
On the other hand, this finding and others that are made in the inner zone of the solar system are very difficult to make, since astronomers they have two lapses of observation of only 10 minutes each night and also have to deal with the brightness that the sun castswhich makes the process even more difficult.
In addition, exploration of this area of the system is impossible to carry out, with telescopes located in space such as Hubble and James Webb NASA, because the intense light and heat of the Sun would be capable of burning the sensitive electronic equipment of these instruments.
observed asteroids
Hidden in the zone that precedes the orbits of Earth and Venus, one of them is a 1.5 kilometer wide asteroid called 2022 AP7. This one, unlike its brothers, it has the potential to one day impact the earth.
The other twocalled 2021 LJ4 and 2021 PH27, they have safe orbits that will not impact the earth.
However, although they are not at risk of impact, one of them, el 2021 PH27summons a special interest for researchers, since it is the closest known asteroid to the Sun, and therefore, the effects of general relativity they are larger than any other object in the Solar System.