Near-Earth asteroids and planetary defence in focus at Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC2026)

The Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) is one of Europe’s largest international meetings dedicated to planetary science, bringing together researchers from around the world to present discoveries and discuss the latest developments in planetary research and space exploration.

At EPSC2026, Bojan Novaković will present research on near-Earth asteroids, focusing on their origin and on the physical processes that can gradually change their orbits.

One study focuses on asteroid Kamoʻoalewa, the target of China’s Tianwen-2 sample-return mission. While a lunar origin has been proposed for this unusual asteroid, recent research published in Astronomy & Astrophysics suggests that it is more likely to have reached near-Earth space from the main asteroid belt. The study is available at: https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202558680

The second study examines the Yarkovsky effect, a very small force caused by the way asteroids absorb sunlight and release heat, which can gradually change their orbits over time. The research explores how this process is affected by changes in the orientation of an asteroid’s rotation axis. 

Understanding where near-Earth asteroids come from and how their trajectories evolve helps scientists reconstruct the history of the Solar System and improve our ability to model the future motion of objects that pass close to Earth. Such knowledge is also relevant to long-term asteroid monitoring and planetary defence.

Participation in EPSC2026 will provide an opportunity to present these results to the international planetary science community, exchange ideas with specialists from different countries, strengthen existing collaborations and develop new international research links