Several observatories across the Chinese mainland have captured rare images of a falling near-Earth asteroid, formally designated as 2024 XA1. This marks the 11th successful early warning of an asteroid impacting Earth and the fourth such prediction of 2024, highlighting significant advancements in global asteroid monitoring.
Discovered by a University of Arizona telescope at 5:55 a.m. (UTC) on December 3, the asteroid, estimated to be between 75 centimeters and one meter in diameter, was first detected just hours before its atmospheric entry. China’s strategic geographic location played a crucial role in the timely monitoring of this event.
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 using its 2.4-meter telescope. Researcher Zhang Xiliang emphasized the team’s rapid response, noting that they formulated an observation plan six hours prior to the anticipated impact based on forecast information and the asteroid’s characteristics.
At 4:15 p.m. (UTC) on December 3, the asteroid entered Earth’s atmosphere over eastern Siberia, igniting into a bright fireball. The time between its initial detection and atmospheric entry was less than 12 hours, underscoring the importance of swift observational capabilities.
Other observatories, including the CAS Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO), the Lenghu Observatory in Qinghai Province, and the Xingming Observatory in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, also captured images of the asteroid. Within two hours following the impact, the Minor Planet Center of the International Astronomical Union received a total of 64 observations globally and officially designated the asteroid as 2024 XA1.
“The destructive power of near-Earth asteroids impacting Earth is enormous, and 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,” Zhang said.
Located at an altitude of over 3,200 meters, the Lijiang Observatory is one of the best sites in China for night sky observations. Its 2.4-meter telescope—the largest general-purpose optical astronomical telescope in East Asia—can track and observe fast-moving targets like near-Earth asteroids with high precision.
The increasing success of predicting asteroid impacts is attributed to continuous improvements in global monitoring and warning capabilities. The PMO, committed to researching methods to monitor and predict near-Earth asteroids, captured images approximately 42 minutes before the asteroid’s atmospheric entry and actively advocates for constructing a next-generation near-Earth object monitoring and warning network.
This collaborative effort underscores the significance of international cooperation in safeguarding Earth from potential asteroid threats, a matter of considerable interest to global readers, academics, and professionals invested in Asia’s scientific advancements.
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China's observatories capture images of falling near-Earth asteroid
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