Astronomers discover the Usain Bolt of asteroids blazing around Sun

Astronomers have just discovered the faster asteroid known in the Solar System, which rushed through their last elliptical long lap around the Sun in just 113 days, approaching the star in its closest approach than its surface was hot enough how to melt the lead.

Rock Space, designated 2021 Ph27, has the shortest orbital period of any object known in the solar system that is not Mercury, which has an orbital period of only 88 days, but 2021 PH27 has a longer elliptical orbit that crosses both the Mercury like Venus.

In its closest approach, 2021 pH27 reach approximately 12.4 million miles, or 20 million kilometers, from the sun, which is more than double, as close, since Mercury approaches its closest approach, approximately 29 million miles, or 47 million kilometers. When it does, the surface of 2021 pH27 increases to approximately 900 degrees Fahrenheit, or approximately 500 degrees Celsius.

Discovered on August 13 by the Carnegie Institution of Scott S. Sheppard, using the Dark Energy House in the Victor M. White 4M Telescope part at the Inter-American Observatory of Cerro Tololo in Chile, an international team of astronomers on two continents And Hawaii worked together. To observe the asteroid during the next few days to confirm the speed and orbit of 2021 pH27, although it meant delaying its own projects for those who had booked a valuable telescope time.

“Although the time of the telescope for astronomers is very precious,” Sheppard said in a statement, “nature and international love of the unknown make astronomers are very willing to cancel their own science and observations to monitor new ones. and interesting discoveries like this “.

The asteroid is entering what is called Solar Conjunction, which is an elegant way of saying that it seems to us that it seems to us on earth as if it is moving “behind”, and is expected to be reappointed in next year next year. At that time, scientists hope to determine more precisely their orbit, after which the asteroid will obtain its official name.

Analysis: ‘interior’ asteroids such as 2021 ph27 help us understand the threats to the land of the ‘outdoors’

Most asteroids in the solar system reside on the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, so they are of particular interest to us, since that’s where the danger of our planet will come.

Asteroids in this part of the solar system can discourage their trajectories for any reason, but Jupiter’s gravitational disturbances are the most common way that these spatial rocks deviate towards the interior planets. Those asteroids that orbit the Sun within the Earth’s orbit, then, are very likely to those sent to the internal solar system, but the ones that hit us or one of the other three terrestrial planets were lost.

“The fraction of the interior of the asteroids to Earth and Venus compared to the exterior will give us information about the strength and composition of these objects,” Sheppard explained.

“Understanding the inner asteroid population to the Earth’s orbit it is important to complete the census of asteroids near the earth, including some of the most likely land impactors that can approach the land during the daylight and that I do not know They can easily discover in most of the surveys observed at night, away from the sun, “he added.