• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Scientists Confirm Earth Is Being Followed By A 'Trojan Asteroid'

Home> News

Updated 14:53 7 Feb 2022 GMTPublished 18:31 1 Feb 2022 GMT

Scientists Confirm Earth Is Being Followed By A 'Trojan Asteroid'

Scientists have revealed that Earth is being pursued by a 'Trojan asteroid,' which is the second object of its kind to ever be discovered.

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck

Scientists have revealed that Earth is being pursued by a 'Trojan asteroid,' which is the second object of its kind to ever be discovered.

On December 12, 2020, scientists observed an object which looked like it was an Earth Trojan.

Since having studied the object's orbit, the status of the Trojan asteroid has since been confirmed, and coined the 2020 XL5.

Trojan asteroids travel just in front or behind the world they are attached to, sharing their orbit with a planet, The Independent reports.

Advert

The asteroids which have been found before have taken their names from figures from the Trojan War and were first found located around the planet Jupiter.

While some asteroids have been uncovered previously, only one has been sighted in orbit with Earth, called the 2010 TK7.

Researchers not only think that the latest to be discovered is more promising than the 2010 TK7, but that it could also end up being a good location for 'human bases' allowing for visitations.

Scientists Confirm Earth Is Being Followed By A 'Trojan Asteroid' (Alamy)
Scientists Confirm Earth Is Being Followed By A 'Trojan Asteroid' (Alamy)

Advert

Unable to confirm whether the Trojan asteroid started its life further out in the solar system in the main asteroid belt or if it, upon interacting with the gravity of Jupiter, was discarded, scientists have still been left unsure as to where it first originated.

However, the researchers' observations of the asteroid's orbit show clearly where it is heading. For another 4,000 years, the asteroid is anticipated as remaining in Earth's orbit.

Moreover, the asteroid is thought to be mostly made up of carbon, and subsequently a C-complex type asteroid.

The Trojan asteroid has since been named 2020 XL5 and is described as being bigger than the 2010 TK7, as well as requiring less fuel to visit.

Advert

The authors reflected: 'Therefore these objects may become ideal targets for space missions and, in the more distant future, to settle human bases or install scientific hardware that would benefit from their peculiar location.'

The study, titled 'Orbital stability analysis and photometric characterization of the second Earth Trojan asteroid 2020 XL5' is published in Nature Communications.

If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]  

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Science, Space

Poppy Bilderbeck
Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

8 hours ago
9 hours ago
  • 8 hours ago

    Woman who only ate beef for 8 years explains shocking physical and mental impact it had on her

    After 25 years of uncertainty around why she was experiencing severe autoimmune responses, Mikhaila Peterson tried 'the lion diet'

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    Forensic team digs for remains of nearly 800 babies at former ‘mother and baby home’

    It is believed the infants were dumped into a septic tank referred to as 'the pit'

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    Billionaire Sunjay Kapur, 53, dies suddenly as tragic final words revealed

    The 53-year-old billionaire collapsed suddenly while playing polo

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    US Air Force just dropped a chilling 246-character nuclear code broadcast and the reason is still unclear

    A 20-minute transmission that is typically used to broadcast emergency messages to military personnel has been intercepted

    News
  • Scientists have created the first 'black hole bomb' and it could have a major impact
  • NASA issues disturbing update on 'city destroying' asteroid that could hit the moon in a matter of years
  • Scientists discover mysterious asteroid-comet hybrid is 'like nothing seen before' in our solar system
  • Chance of devastating 'god of chaos' asteroid hitting Earth could be higher than scientists first thought