November 17 , 2022
742 days
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- A team of astronomers has discovered three massive near-Earth asteroids hiding in the glare of the Sun.
- Of these, one called 2022 AP7 is believed to be the largest planet killer-sized asteroid to be spotted in nearly a decade.
- It is “potentially hazardous” to Earth.
- It is 1.5-kilometre-wide and has an orbit that may someday put it on a collision course with our planet.
- The other two- 2021 LJ4 and 2021 PH27 have orbits that are safely constrained inside the limits of Earth’s orbit.
- At less than a kilometre in diameter, 2021 LJ4 is the smallest in size.
- The asteroid, 2021 PH27, is the closest known asteroid to the Sun.
- Due to this, its surface gets hot enough to melt lead.
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