Astronomers used the Zwicky Transit ObservatoryZTFTo study the Eruptive Resonance Swarm, a planetary system that includes Comet 2P/Encseveral meteorite streams, and possibly a group of near-Earth asteroids.
Space objects threaten life
Dr Quanzhi Yi, an astronomer from the University of Maryland, said: “We took advantage of a rare opportunity when this swarm came close to Earth, allowing us to more effectively study objects that could be a threat to our planet.”.
He said: Our findings indicate that the risk of a large thorium swarm asteroid hitting the Earth is much lower than previously thought, which is good news for the protection of the planet.
Before this study, astronomers believed that the Eruptive Resonance swarm contained a large number of large space rocks up to 1 km in diameter, possibly left behind by a large object 100 km across..
The threat of space objects on Earth
These large objects could cause regional devastation if they hit Earth, such as the Chelyabinsk asteroid in 2013. In the case of larger objects, they can cause catastrophic events that lead to extinction, such as the asteroid which wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago..
Dr. Ye continued, saying: Fortunately, our results indicate that there are only a few large asteroids in the needle, ranging in number from nine to 14 asteroids, and through our mini- study, we believe that the core group that formed the swarm was closer. to 10 kilometers in diameter, not 100. Kilometers, as expected.
He said: Although we need to be vigilant about asteroid collisions, these results may give us a sense of comfort..
The Orion swarms have important clues about planetary evolution, especially because they are associated with Comet Encke, which is considered a short-period comet, completing only one orbit around the Sun. every 3.3 years.
This comet is characterized by its large size and dense dust compared to other comets with short periods. to disintegrate in the future..
In this context, Dr. the results of this study were presented at the annual meeting of the Science of Planetary Regions at the American Astronomical Society, according to sci.news.
