Space-Scanning Algorithm Spots 'Potentially Hazardous' 600-Foot Asteroid (gizmodo.com) 19
An asteroid-hunting algorithm called HelioLinc3D has spotted a potentially hazardous 600-foot-long space rock that's currently about 4 astronomical units from Earth. The asteroid is 2022 SF289 and "swings by Earth on the opposite side of its orbit, classifying it as a potentially hazardous asteroid (or PHA)," reports Gizmodo. From the report: "Potentially hazardous" merely means there is some chance the object could impact Earth, and thus it is worth keeping an eye on. What's significant about 2022 SF289 is not that it is hazardous, but that it was spotted by a new algorithm called HelioLinc3D. The recent asteroid spotting demonstrated that the algorithm can detect near-Earth asteroids with fewer observations than traditional methods. Because the Rubin Observatory is not yet up and running, HelioLinc3D was tested using the University of Hawaii's ATLAS survey.
"By demonstrating the real-world effectiveness of the software that Rubin will use to look for thousands of yet-unknown potentially hazardous asteroids, the discovery of 2022 SF289 makes us all safer," said Ari Heinze, a scientist and researcher at the Rubin Observatory and the University of Washington, and the principal developer of the new algorithm, in a university release. "This is just a small taste of what to expect with the Rubin Observatory in less than two years, when HelioLinc3D will be discovering an object like this every night," said Mario Juric, a scientist at the Rubin Observatory, director of the DiRAC Institute, astronomer at the University of Washington, and leader of the team behind HelioLinc3D, in the same release.
"From HelioLinc3D to AI-assisted codes, the next decade of discovery will be a story of advancement in algorithms as much as in new, large, telescopes," Juric added. The Rubin Observatory is now expected to commence its observations in early 2025, though we'll have to wait and see if that timeline sticks.
"By demonstrating the real-world effectiveness of the software that Rubin will use to look for thousands of yet-unknown potentially hazardous asteroids, the discovery of 2022 SF289 makes us all safer," said Ari Heinze, a scientist and researcher at the Rubin Observatory and the University of Washington, and the principal developer of the new algorithm, in a university release. "This is just a small taste of what to expect with the Rubin Observatory in less than two years, when HelioLinc3D will be discovering an object like this every night," said Mario Juric, a scientist at the Rubin Observatory, director of the DiRAC Institute, astronomer at the University of Washington, and leader of the team behind HelioLinc3D, in the same release.
"From HelioLinc3D to AI-assisted codes, the next decade of discovery will be a story of advancement in algorithms as much as in new, large, telescopes," Juric added. The Rubin Observatory is now expected to commence its observations in early 2025, though we'll have to wait and see if that timeline sticks.
Very cool (Score:2)
Not that we can do much about an asteroid but very cool to see this technology continue to be developed, even though its real application is likely in warfare.
Re: (Score:2)
Hmmm....so you think those naughty aliens are planning to attack and now we'll know ahead of time because we've been looking at them? Have you informed Congress about this? You just cannot trust those sneaky aliens. Next thing you know they'll be coming for our women.
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It's a well-known fact that first you get the sugar, then you get the power, and only then do you get the women.
There is evidence [tenor.com] that some aliens are already aware of this.
We're saved by AI (Score:3)
In all seriousness, this is pretty cool technology (and yes I know it's not LLMs either), and it makes sense that we should use an algorithm to make the best estimates of potential areas so we can optimize the use of our telescopes for confirmation.
Hehehehe (Score:3, Funny)
The way this world is going, I'm rooting for the extinction-event asteroid....
600 Feet? From That Distance? (Score:1)
Argumentum Ad Populam (Score:3)
What's significant about 2022 SF289 is not that it is hazardous, but that it was spotted by a new algorithm called HelioLinc3D.
No, what makes it significant or not is its size and its path. I don't care how many asteroids they spot that aren't large or aren't at risk of hitting the planet I live on.
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whoops, pre coffee
it's argumentum ad hominem. except it's not even a person, it's software. don't know the latin for that one
weirdly if I were on mobile I'd be allowed to leave this same comment by now
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Could we get a bigger one? (Score:3)
I don't think 600 feet will give us quite the planet-cleansing we deserve.
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No, but it would ruin several somebody's days.
For anyone else... (Score:2)
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I'm sorry, I don't understand either of those measurements. Could you please put it into standard units such as llamas?
Re: (Score:2)
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That's 182 meters...
What is that in pinto beans?
And I don't mean distance. I want to know how HEAVY it is.
Sounds like tracking (Score:2)
not worrying (Score:3)
I'm not worrying about this, because based on previous reports, I'm quite confident that there is little danger, because the world has already ended quite some time ago.
600 (Score:2)