Scientists have raised alarms about a poorly understood population of asteroids orbiting both Venus and Earth, which could pose a significant risk to our planet. The research, published by Valerio Carruba and colleagues at São Paulo University, highlights the challenges of detecting these elusive bodies.
Twenty co-orbital asteroids of Venus are currently known, but their dual orbit-sharing characteristics make them harder to predict than more conventional near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). These asteroids have a minimum diameter of 140 meters and can unleash catastrophic destruction if they impact Earth. The study’s key concern lies in their highly chaotic trajectories, which become unpredictable over time.
The simulations conducted by Carruba’s team show that even small differences in orbital parameters can lead to vastly different long-term paths. As the orbits evolve, these asteroids drift into Earth’s neighborhood, posing impact risks that current monitoring systems may miss entirely. The observational bias of Venusian co-orbitals being nearly invisible from Earth due to their orbit around the Sun makes it difficult to detect and predict them.
The upcoming Vera Rubin Observatory might be able to detect some of these objects during specific observational windows, but concerns remain that even advanced telescopes might not suffice. To address this knowledge gap, Carruba and his team advocate for a dedicated space-based observatory near Venus. A mission in the Sun-Venus Lagrange Point could vastly improve our ability to detect and monitor these asteroids.
This level of surveillance would be essential to ensure Earth’s safety from surprise impacts. The researchers emphasize that only a dedicated observational campaign from a space-based mission near Venus can potentially map and discover all the still ‘invisible’ PHA among Venus’ co-orbital asteroids.
Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/05/is-venus-hiding-a-deadly-threat-asteroids