Risk of comet hitting Earth is greater than previously thought, say researchers
by Agence France-Presse in Paris from on (#YH5Q)
Monitoring of space objects should include giant 'centaurs' that could rain down debris for thousands of years, astronomers recommend
Earth could be at higher risk of being hit by a comet than widely thought, according to astronomers who have suggested keeping a closer eye on distant objects.
Most studies of potential hazards involved objects in the asteroid belt roughly between Mars and Jupiter, the researchers said. But they noted that the discovery in the last two decades of hundreds of giant comets dubbed "centaurs" requires expanding the list of potential hazards.
