He studied two mysterious asteroids (2021 PH27 and 2025 GN1) that move very close to the orbit of Venus and share the same orbit. The team led by Albino Carbognani from the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF) revealed that these two celestial bodies were actually a single piece around 20,000 years ago. It was found that the main asteroid, which came very close to the Sun, broke apart due to overheating and rapid rotation (YORP effect), leaving behind a huge cloud of dust.
Simulations show that the dust stream left over from this ancient fragmentation will cross the path of Venus. The event, expected to take place on July 5, will see thousands of millimeter-sized particles enter Venus' atmosphere and burn up, creating an intense meteor shower in the planet's sky.
Is it possible to watch from Earth?
Experts warn that this event will be difficult to observe from Earth. However, very large meteors called “fireballs” that are as bright as the moon are visible from Earth. Scientists say that such meteor showers can be monitored directly from orbit using spacecraft such as EnVision or DAVINCI, which will be sent to Venus in the future.
While most meteor showers on Earth are made up of cometary debris, this one on Venus is caused by the disintegration of an asteroid, just like December's Geminid meteor shower. This is of historical importance for understanding the evolution of asteroids in the solar system and their impact on planets.
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