Anúncio
ESO e ESA confirmam que o asteroide 2006 QV89 não colidirá com a Terra em 2019
18 de Julho de 2019
O asteroide 2006 QV89, um pequeno objeto de 20 a 50 metros de diâmetro, foi ultimamente motivo de notícia devido a uma pequeníssima possibilidade, uma em 7000, de colidir com a Terra no dia 9 de Setembro de 2019. No primeiro caso conhecido de excluir o impacto de um asteroide através de uma “não deteção”, o Observatório Europeu do Sul (ESO) e a Agência Espacial Europeia (ESA) concluíram que o asteroide 2006 QV89 não se encontra em rota de colisão com o nosso planeta este ano.
Geralmente, quando se descobre que um asteroide tem uma hipótese mínima de colidir com a Terra, executam-se várias observações e medições. Estes dados “astrométricos” dão-nos uma ideia melhor do trajeto do asteroide, melhorando assim a nossa compreensão do risco que apresenta e frequentemente excluindo qualquer hipótese de colisão.
No entanto, o caso do asteroide 2006 QV89 foi algo peculiar. Este objeto foi descoberto em Agosto de 2006 e seguidamente observado durante apenas 10 dias. As observações sugeriram que teria a probabilidade de 1 em 7000 de colidir com a Terra a 9 de Setembro de 2019. Após o décimo dia, o asteroide já não se podia observar e não pôde ser observado desde essa altura. Agora, mais de uma década depois, podemos prever a sua posição mas apenas com pouca precisão, tornando muito difícil a sua observação, já que ninguém sabe exatamente para onde apontar o telescópio.
Apesar disso, existe um modo de se obter a informação pretendida. Embora não saibamos a trajetória exata do 2006 QV89, sabemos no entanto onde deveria aparecer no céu se estivesse em rota de colisão com o nosso planeta. Assim, podemos simplesmente observar essa pequena área do céu para verificar se o asteroide não se encontra nesse local. Deste modo, podemos excluir indiretamente qualquer risco de impacto, nem vermos efetivamente o asteroide.
Foi precisamente isso que o ESO e a ESA fizeram nos dias 4 e 5 de Julho, no âmbito de uma colaboração entre as duas organizações para observar asteroides de elevado risco com o auxílio do Very Large Telescope do ESO (VLT). A equipa obteve imagens muito “profundas” de uma pequena área do céu, onde o asteroide estaria localizado se estivesse numa rota para colidir com a Terra em Setembro.
A imagem mostra a região do céu onde o asteroide 2006 QV89 estaria se estivesse em rota de colisão com a Terra este ano. As três cruzes vermelhas revelam localizações específicas onde o asteroide poderia ter aparecido como um simples ponto preto e grande, se estivesse em rota de colisão. Mesmo se o asteroide fosse mais pequeno do que o esperado, com uma dimensão de apenas alguns metros, ainda assim ver-se-ia na imagem. Mais pequeno que isso e seria já impossível de detectar com o VLT, mas nesse caso também seria inofensivo, já que qualquer asteroide desse tamanho arderia ao entrar na atmosfera terrestre.
Contactos
Oana Sandu
Community Coordinator & Communication Strategy Officer
ESO Department of Communication
Tel: +49 89 320 069 65
Email: osandu@partner.eso.org
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