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The Conversation
The Conversation
Science
Steven Tingay, John Curtin Distinguished Professor (Radio Astronomy), Curtin University

Astronomers have detected another 'planet killer' asteroid. Could we miss one coming our way?

Artist's impression of the asteroid discovered toward the Sun. DOE/FNAL/DECam/CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. da Silva/Spaceengine

If you surfed the web this morning, you may have seen news of the latest existential threat to humanity: a “planet killer” asteroid named 2022 AP7.

Luckily for us 2022 AP7 “has no chance to hit the Earth currently”, according to Scott Sheppard at the Carnegie Institution for Science. He and his international team of colleagues observed 2022 AP7 in a trio of “rather large” asteroids obscured by the Sun’s glare (the other two don’t pose a risk).

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