Scientists warning: Invisible asteroids near Venus could threaten Earth

Planet Venus making its passage across the Sun. (NASA/SDO/AIA)

Astronomers have warned that Earth may be at risk from asteroids that have remained undetected near Venus for a long time. A new study which was published in Astronomy & Astrophysics indicates that these asteroids co-orbit Venus, which could pose a direct threat to our planet.

The study suggests that these objects are mostly “invisible” because sunlight obscures them. At some point, they could be re‑oriented into an orbit that crosses Earth’s path.

Threats Lurking in the Inner Solar System

The discovery focuses on Venus co-orbital asteroids, which share the planet’s orbital path around the Sun. To date, about 20 such objects have been identified. Computer simulations show that their orbits are generally unstable, meaning some could eventually drift into Earth’s neighbourhood.

Why Are They Invisible?

Asteroids in the inner Solar System are far more difficult to detect than more distant near-Earth objects. Ground-based telescopes struggle to observe objects inside Earth’s orbit because they are effectively invisible in the Sun’s glare. This means potentially hazardous asteroids up to 300 metres wide may remain undetected until they pose a real danger.

How Serious Is the Risk?

If one of these large asteroids were to strike Earth, the impact could create craters up to 4.5 kilometres wide and release energy equivalent to hundreds of megatons of TNT. Although the chance of a collision within our lifetime is low, astronomers caution that the threat must not be ignored.

What Do Scientists Say?

Scientists are advocating for space-based observatories to monitor the inner Solar System thoroughly. NASA’s upcoming NEO Surveyor mission, together with a dedicated telescope orbiting Venus, could provide the necessary vantage point to detect these hidden hazards.