DISCOVERY OF ASTEROIDS

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Small planets that pose the risk of clashing with Earth are called potentially hazardous asteroids. Now only around 40 asteroids that could possibly clash with planet Earth in the next 100 years have been found so far, but for the first time Korean researchers have discovered another potentially hazardous asteroid. Let's take a look

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​Back in August, a new asteroid was spotted through a state-of-the-art telescope installed by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute in South Africa. Measuring 160 meters in diameter, the asteroid has been temporarily dubbed "2018 PP29." Astronomers believe it could clash with Earth in 2063 or 2069. Although there's only one in 2.8 billion chance of it hitting Earth, such an incident could destroy an area with a radius of hundreds of kilometers. Its destructive power is presumed to be 25,000 times that of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. PP29 has been officially registered as a potentially hazardous asteroid as its possibility of clashing with Earth in the next 100 years is higher than the average probability of one-ten-millionth for other asteroids. Only 40 asteroids are recognized as potentially dangerous by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The researchers have also discovered another asteroid presumed to be 20 to 40 meters in diameter. They named it "2018 PM28." Although it is unlikely to clash with Earth, its orbit is close to Earth, making it convenient for exploration. There are only nine such asteroids discovered worldwide.

[Soundbite] MOON HONG-KYU(KOREA ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCE INST.) : "The PM28 is on the list of asteroids subject to exploration. Our mission also includes asteroid exploration."

By discovering the asteroids using 320 million-pixel telescopes installed in South Africa, Australia and Chile, Korea has moved a step closer to opening its era of space exploration.