NASA says a 160-foot-wide asteroid could potentially slam into Earth on Feb. 14, 2046.
Science Photo Library - ANDRZEJ /Getty ImagesA newly discovered asteroid is prepared to ruin Valentine's Day in 23 years time. Per NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Sentry system—which tracks potential collisions with celestial objects— a 160-foot-wide space rock dubbed 2023 DW has 10 predicted close approaches to Earth, with the nearest expected on Feb. 14, 2046 at about 1.1 million miles from our planet.
First discovered on Feb. 2, the space rock has a one in 625 chance of striking Earth on 2046, per projections by the European Space Agency. However, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Sentry system estimates a chance of one in 560. The celestial object also currently sits atop NASA's impact risk list, ranking 1 out of 10 on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale, which is used for categorizing the impact hazard of near-Earth objects.
However, NASA officials assured on Twitter Tuesday that 2023 DW has "a very small chance of impacting Earth," though the odds of impact could be significantly altered as more observations are completed. "Often when new objects are first discovered it takes several weeks of data to reduce the uncertainties and adequately predict theirs orbits years into the future," NASA's Asteroid Watch tweeted. "Orbit analysts will continue to monitor asteroid 2023 DW and update predictions as more data comes in."
As noted by the Center for Near Earth Object Studies (located at the Jet Propulsion Lab), newly discovered asteroids often appear more threatening when they are initially observed. "Because orbits stemming from very limited observation sets are more certain it is more likely that such orbits will 'permit' future impacts," its website reads. "However, such early predictions can often be ruled out as we incorporate more observations and reduce the uncertainties in the object's orbit. Most often, the threat associated with a specific object will decrease as additional observations become available."
Luckily, should the asteroid pose any danger to Earth, NASA could once again deploy its asteroid deflection system. The space agency first tested out the technology with massive success last year when it smashed its Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft into an asteroid millions of miles away to change its trajectory.
More Space
Science - Latest - Google News
March 11, 2023 at 07:30PM
https://ift.tt/vBZ2FXs
Gigantic asteroid could strike Earth in 2026, NASA says - Chron
Science - Latest - Google News
https://ift.tt/EKMsuH0
https://ift.tt/oin1Psq
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Gigantic asteroid could strike Earth in 2026, NASA says - Chron"
Post a Comment