Beijing, September 8, 2024 – China’s monitoring network has made a historic achievement by conducting the first relay observation of a预警 asteroid, marking a significant step forward in the country’s asteroid detection and warning capabilities.
On September 5, 2024, at approximately 12:39 a.m. Beijing time, an asteroid with a diameter of about 1.2 meters entered Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of around 20 kilometers per second. The asteroid disintegrated and exploded at an altitude of about 25 kilometers northeast of the Philippines. This event was successfully predicted and monitored by China’s monitoring network.
The asteroid was first discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) with a 1.5-meter telescope on September 4, 2024. It was then submitted to the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center under the temporary name CAQTDL2, with an estimated impact probability of over 30%. Subsequent observations were conducted by multiple observatories in the United States, Chile, and Australia, as well as the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences using telescopes located overseas.
On the same day at 8:00 p.m., the Purple Mountain Observatory in Xuyi, China, was ready for observation. The Near-Earth Object Telescope immediately began tracking the asteroid’s trajectory, closely monitoring its movement. At 9:55 p.m., the International Astronomical Union assigned the asteroid the permanent number 2024RW1 and predicted that it would impact the northern Philippines at 12:39 a.m. Beijing time on September 5, 2024.
This is the ninth successful asteroid impact prediction in human history. In February 2018, China officially joined the International Asteroid Warning Network as a full member. The 1.04-meter Near-Earth Object Telescope at the Purple Mountain Observatory in Xuyi is the main equipment contributing shared data to the country. It has been continuously conducting near-Earth asteroid monitoring and warning work and has discovered 41 near-Earth asteroids to date.
The Purple Mountain Observatory has long been committed to research on monitoring and warning methods for near-Earth asteroids and improving the operational capabilities of its network. It is actively promoting the construction of the next-generation near-Earth object monitoring and warning network, conducting full-chain research on threat warnings, entry process monitoring, and impact analysis, thereby systematically enhancing China’s near-Earth asteroid monitoring and warning capabilities.
The successful prediction and monitoring of the asteroid collision event demonstrate the effectiveness of China’s monitoring and warning system and highlight the country’s dedication to promoting global space safety and disaster prevention. As China continues to strengthen its capabilities in space exploration and monitoring, the country is poised to play an increasingly significant role in international space cooperation and security.
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