A new telescope, called Flyeye, has been launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in search of potentially hazardous asteroids that could impact Earth. The Flyeye telescope is equipped with a unique “bug-eyed” design that allows it to capture a vast region of the sky in a single exposure, giving astronomers more time to assess and respond to potential threats.
The ESA’s new plan aims to detect asteroids earlier than ever before, allowing for more time to prepare a response. The Flyeye telescope will be an early-warning system, sharing its discoveries with the global planetary defence community. Any new asteroids spotted by the telescope will be sent to the Minor Planet Center for further analysis.
A recent discovery of asteroid 2025 FA22 ranked among the top three potential threats to Earth, but it has since been downgraded. The current top spot is held by Asteroid 2023 VD3, a smaller space rock with a small chance of impact in 2034.
The ESA’s Flyeye telescope will be part of a future network of up to four telescopes spread across the northern and southern hemispheres, working together to improve automatic sky surveys and reduce dependence on good weather at individual sites.
Source: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/world-news/asteroid-hunter-could-save-earth-31798545