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An asteroid about 1.2 km wide was discovered moving along Earth’s orbit and could stay close to our planet for at least another 4,000 years, scientists say, but will pose no danger.
Using telescope observations in Chile, Arizona and the Canary Islands, researchers provided the most comprehensive description of the asteroid christened 2020 XL5, which was first discussed just two years ago.
They confirmed that he is one of the two so-called Trojan asteroids, traveling as companions to Earth.
“The 2020 XL5, which we only managed to spot in December 2020, may have begun to retreat from the Earth’s gravitational force sometime around 500 or 1000 years ago. But it is harmless to the planetSaid Toni Santana-Ros, a scientist at the University of Alicante.
Trojan asteroids may be strays in the solar system – as is apparently the case with the celestial body approaching Earth, or material left over from the formation of their planet.
They are trapped by the planetary gravitational pull and then revolve around the sun in the same way as the planet that attracted them.
This appears to be the so-called C-type asteroid – one of the most common types in the solar system. They are generally dark in color and contain a lot of carbon along with rocks and minerals.
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