Several observatories in China have captured rare images of a falling near-Earth asteroid, formally designated as 2024 XA1. This significant event marks the 11th successful early warning of an asteroid impacting Earth and the fourth such prediction in 2024.
The asteroid, estimated to be between 75 centimeters and one meter in diameter, was first spotted by a University of Arizona telescope at 5:55 a.m. UTC on December 3. Due to China’s strategic geographic location, its observatories played a crucial role in monitoring the asteroid’s swift journey toward Earth.
The Lijiang branch of the Yunnan Observatories, under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), detected the asteroid between 3:10 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. UTC on December 3, utilizing its powerful 2.4-meter telescope. “We formulated an observation plan based on forecast information six hours before the expected Earth impact,” said Zhang Xiliang, a researcher at the Lijiang observatory. “By adopting a wait-and-see method at a designated position, we successfully captured precious images within the hour before its fall to Earth.”
At 4:15 p.m. UTC on December 3, less than 12 hours after its initial discovery, the asteroid entered Earth’s atmosphere over eastern Siberia, igniting into a bright fireball. Within two hours of the impact, the Minor Planet Center of the International Astronomical Union received 64 observations from around the world and formally designated the asteroid as 2024 XA1.
Other Chinese observatories, including the Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO), the Lenghu Observatory in northwest China’s Qinghai Province, and the Xingming Observatory in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, also captured images of the asteroid. The PMO managed to photograph the asteroid approximately 42 minutes before it entered Earth’s atmosphere.
“The destructive power of near-Earth asteroids impacting Earth is enormous,” Zhang emphasized. “Early warnings and defense against such asteroids are of great importance to the safety of humanity. The achievement made this time will provide solid scientific support for China’s efforts in early warnings and defense against near-Earth asteroids.”
The Lijiang observatory’s 2.4-meter telescope is currently the largest general-purpose optical astronomical telescope in East Asia, capable of tracking and observing fast-moving targets with high precision. Located at an altitude of over 3,200 meters in a low-latitude area, the observatory benefits from optimal conditions for night sky observations.
The increasing success of predicting asteroid impacts has been attributed to the continuous improvement of global near-Earth asteroid monitoring and warning capabilities. The PMO is actively researching methods to monitor and predict near-Earth asteroids and advocates for the construction of a next-generation near-Earth object monitoring and warning network.
This event highlights the global collaboration and swift action required to monitor near-Earth objects that pose potential threats. With advancements in technology and international cooperation, humanity continues to enhance its ability to detect and respond to celestial events that could impact our planet.
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China's observatories capture images of falling near-Earth asteroid
cgtn.com
