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[WSB] Scientists have discovered a large asteroid within Earth’s orbit that was previously unseen because it was hidden by the sun’s glare.
In a study published in The Astronomical Journal, scientists using the Dark Energy Camera mounted on the Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile said they found a 1.5-kilometer-wide asteroid called 2022 AP7 within the Earth’s orbit that could someday be in our planet’s path.
Finding the asteroid, despite its size, was difficult because it was hidden by the glare of the Sun. Astronomers typically point equipment, such as the Hubble Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, away from the Sun to protect the sensitive equipment, Space.com explained. In a news release accompanying the study, NOIRLab explained that astronomers have only two 10-minute windows each night during which they can survey the inner solar system. [FULLSTORY]
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