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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Nicola Davis Science correspondent

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

The four-metre Blanco telescope at the Cerro Tololo observatory in Chile
The asteroid was discovered by the four-metre Blanco telescope at the Cerro Tololo observatory in Chile. Photograph: Reidar Hahn/Fermilab VMS/PA

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.

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