Scientists Warn of Imminent City-Killer Asteroid Threats Exposed by Critical Detection Flaws
City-Killing Asteroids Hidden Near Venus Pose Threat to Earth
A new study reveals that at least three “city-killing” asteroids, lurking near Venus, could strike Earth. Researchers from Brazil, France, and Italy warn that Venus’s position in the solar system blocks our view of these hazardous near-Earth asteroids (NEAs), which are often masked by the Sun’s glare. The asteroids, named 2020 SB, 524522, and 2020 CL1, have unstable orbits that bring them perilously close to Earth.
Artistic depiction of asteroids near Venus, hidden by the Sun’s glare (Stock Image).
Dangerous Orbits and Risks
These asteroids, ranging from 330 to 1,300 feet in diameter, share Venus’s orbit around the Sun, making them Venus “co-orbitals.” While their synchronized paths protect them from colliding with Venus, they do not shield Earth. Their wobbly trajectories could intersect with Earth’s orbit, especially due to their extremely small Minimum Orbital Intersection Distance (MOID) of under 0.0005 astronomical units (46,600 miles)—closer than the Moon. A collision could unleash energy over a million times greater than the Hiroshima atomic bomb, creating a two-mile-wide crater and triggering tsunamis or wildfires.
“Co-orbital status protects these asteroids from Venus, but not from Earth,” warned lead researcher Valerio Carruba of São Paolo University. Their study, published in Astronomy and Astrophysics, highlights that Venus’s proximity to the Sun makes monitoring these objects nearly impossible with current Earth-based telescopes.
Detection Challenges and Possible Solutions
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, set to begin operations soon, may offer brief detection windows of 2–4 weeks as asteroids emerge from the Sun’s glare. However, researchers stress that only a dedicated space probe near Venus could fully map these “invisible” threats.
Most asteroids reside between Mars and Jupiter, but co-orbitals near Venus (shown in diagram) pose unique risks to Earth.
Recent NASA Warnings
In April, NASA revised impact probabilities for another asteroid, 2024 YR4, increasing its chance of hitting the Moon to 4% and Earth to 3.1%—the highest ever recorded. Though ruled out for Earth, a 2024 YR4 lunar strike (200 feet wide) could offer scientists a rare chance to study crater formation in real time. Such data would enhance understanding of lunar geology.
Urgent Need for Action
Astronomers emphasize that Venus’s blind spot requires urgent attention. With limited time to act if an asteroid veers toward Earth, a Venus mission could provide critical surveillance. As Carruba’s team noted, “The Rubin Observatory might help, but a space probe is essential to reveal hidden dangers.”
Short detection windows (2–4 weeks) challenge Earth-based telescopes, underscoring the need for space-based monitoring.
While efforts to track asteroids like 2024 YR4 continue, the study serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in our planetary defense systems—and the cosmic dangers lurking just next door.
