Scientists from the State University of São Paulo (Brazil) have published the results of a study in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, which indicates the existence of a small group of asteroids that are in resonance with the orbit of Venus. Phys.org reports.
These objects do not belong to the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, but are located much closer to Earth, which makes them difficult to detect with modern telescopes and may pose a threat to our planet.
Astronomer Valerio Carruba notes that such celestial bodies can remain invisible for many years and only appear a few days before a possible collision with our planet.
According to him, these asteroids could include objects with a diameter of about 300 meters. If they fell on Earth, they could create craters 3 to 4.5 kilometers wide and release energy comparable to an explosion of hundreds of megatons. Such an impact in a densely populated region would cause widespread destruction.
Experts emphasize that although the probability of such a scenario is quite small, it cannot be ignored. To reduce the risks of these asteroids approaching Earth, long-term observations and improvements in methods for detecting asteroids that are in complex orbital resonances are necessary.
Thus, Venus may serve as a kind of "repository" of dangerous objects that remain out of the field of view of astronomers. Further studies should determine the scale of this population and assess the real threats to Earth.