Russian scientists have discovered a new potentially hazardous asteroids – Sight

The Russian astrophysicist Vladimir Lipunov using a robotic telescope network has detected a new potentially hazardous asteroids that are larger than already known to earthlings Apophis.

Scientists do not yet know what kind of danger to the Earth presents a new asteroid 2014 UR116, transmits TASS referring to the Federal Space Agency.

«was found that an asteroid with a diameter of about 370 meters, a little more of Apophis. But it is clear that it is at least three hundred meters, “- said MSU professor Vladimir Lipunov, adding that if it hits the ground, the explosion will be more powerful than an asteroid from Chelyabinsk.

After the Chelyabinsk meteorite interest automatic systems Sky Survey has increased dramatically. In 2013, astronomers using the new system found three potentially hazardous asteroids.

According to scientists, can give a guarantee of security works in conjunction orbital and ground-based surveillance system that will detect asteroids long before the dangerous proximity to our planet.

«We have developed a telescope” Master “of the third generation with a diameter of 1 meter, which will open the body, such as Chelyabinsk with flight time in one week – said Lipunov. – After 10-20 hours, you can not make it any missile to equip anything, but this week – this is a reasonable time ».

Recall that in January the official representative of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Andrew Fazeykas said that the asteroid Apophis may threaten the existence of the Earth in 2036.

Apophis, which has a diameter of about 300 meters, was discovered in 2004 by members of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena NASA (California). Just before Christmas when they announced that the asteroid at the next coil in April 2036 could hit the ground. It was pointed out that the chances of this are estimated as 1 to 45 thousand.

However, later the American astronomers have revised their forecasts to estimate the probability of collision of Apophis with the Earth in 2036 in the 1 to 250 thousand.

After 2036 the asteroid to approach dangerously small distance to the Earth several times: in 2051, 2058, 2066, 2074 and 2089 respectively.

According to expert estimates, if Apophis will crash into Earth, select 1.6 thousand . megatons of energy – ten times more than in the explosion of a hydrogen bomb.