AI Uncovers Massive 'Potentially Hazardous' Asteroid Missed by Humans
An AI algorithm called HelioLinc3D, part of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, has discovered a large potentially hazardous asteroid, 2022 SF289, that passed by Earth unnoticed by scientists. The asteroid, roughly the size of 183 North American beavers, poses no immediate threat but highlights the potential of AI algorithms to better detect dangerous asteroids. The algorithm reviewed old data from the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) and successfully identified the asteroid. This discovery emphasizes the importance of advanced algorithms and telescope systems in improving asteroid detection and planetary defense efforts.