Huge ‘planet killer’ asteroid discovered – and it’s heading our way

[Rick]

Huge 'planet killer' asteroid discovered – and it's heading our way

Astronomers say they have discovered the largest planet killer-sized asteroid in eight years, and that the huge space rock will cross Earth's orbit.

The asteroid, named 2022 AP7, was reported by researchers looking for space rocks within the orbits of Earth and Venus.

Writing in the Astronomical Journal, lead study author Scott Sheppard and colleagues at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington say they have found three "rather large" asteroids, one of which – 2022 AP7 – crosses the Earth's orbit, making it a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA).

With a diameter of about 1.1km to 2.3km, the team say 2022 AP7 is the largest PHA discovered since 2014 and probably in the top 5% of the largest ever found.

More: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/01/huge-planet-killer-asteroid-discovered-and-its-heading-our-way

[Rick]

Oh, great. By peering into twilight, boffins find 'planet killer' asteroids in our system

Astronomers have spotted an asteroid of sufficient size and orbit to cause Earth-wide destruction – if it were to ever strike our planet. And that's a mighty big if.

2022 AP7 was discovered alongside two other large asteroids – 2021 LJ4 and 2021 PH27 – by a team of scientists looking for objects within the inner Solar System during observations at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile.

Over 30,000 near-Earth asteroids have been cataloged so far, and thousands of new entries are added each year. The latest trio of space rocks, however, are notable for their size and location.

More: https://www.theregister.com/2022/11/01/dangerous_asteroids_discovered/

[AndrewRamsay]

Gulp!