There are certain tasks that Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms excel at compared to humans, and one of these is detecting dangerous asteroids.
Using a novel algorithm designed to detect large asteroids from limited data, scientists identified a previously unknown 600-foot asteroid.
Referred to as 2022 GN1, this skyscraper-sized asteroid came close to Earth in September 2022, passing within approximately 4.5 million miles (7.2 million kilometers) of our planet.
Such proximity to Earth classifies it as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA).
Interestingly, astronomers worldwide failed to detect this large rock at any time before, during, or after its approach, as it remained obscured by the brightness of the Milky Way.
The HelioLinc3D algorithm, however, succeeded in identifying 2022 GN1 by analyzing data from the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), a telescope specifically designed for detecting fast-moving objects in the night sky.
The algorithm managed to detect the asteroid’s presence despite its limited visibility during that time.
This discovery of an asteroid concealed in telescope data from a year ago could revolutionize the monitoring of near-Earth objects.
The detection of 2022 GN1 serves as a reminder that there are numerous “potentially hazardous asteroids” still undiscovered by astronomers.
Presently, scientists are aware of 2,350 PHAs but estimate that there are over 3,000 more waiting to be found.
Just last month, Earth had a close encounter with another asteroid the size of a 20-story building, and astronomers only noticed it two days later.
The HelioLinc3D algorithm will soon be deployed to analyze data collected by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, an advanced telescope located in the Chilean mountains, which is scheduled to initiate asteroid-hunting operations in early 2025.
Mario Jurić, the team leader behind the algorithm, stated, “This is just a glimpse of what we can expect with the Rubin Observatory in less than two years when HelioLinc3D will be discovering objects like this every night.”
Ari Heinze, the principal developer of the algorithm, emphasized, “By showcasing the real-world effectiveness of the software that Rubin will use to search for thousands of yet-undiscovered potentially hazardous asteroids, the discovery of 2022 SF289 enhances our safety.”
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