Asteroid "Bennu" is one of the dangerous asteroids in our solar system.
NASA has published new calculations of its trajectory.
A collision is more likely than you thought.
Washington - The asteroid "Bennu" is on average around 500 meters wide and has a mass of more than 60 million tons.
The asteroid repeatedly crosses the orbit of the earth and comes very close to it.
Since its discovery in 1999, researchers have been observing the colossus very closely in space.
A collision would have devastating consequences.
NASA has set itself the task of detecting dangers for the earth - such as asteroids * - in space at an early stage.
"NASA's Planetary Defense mission is to find and monitor asteroids and comets that can approach Earth and pose a threat to our planet," said Kelly Fast of NASA.
For this reason, the US authorities sent a space probe years ago to collect data and rock samples from the asteroid "Bennu".
NASA pursued this plan with the so-called "OSIRIS-REx" mission.
Researchers have now published the
latest findings on the asteroid "Bennu"
in the specialist journal
Icarus
.
The risk of a coming impact on Earth is therefore greater than expected.
"Bennu" does not yet pose a threat to our planet. But in a few hundred years he could be on a collision course with the earth.
Asteroid "Bennu" impact on earth?
The year 2135 is decisive
In the year 2135 the asteroid "Bennu" will fly just past the earth.
Then it could be decided whether “Bennu” hits a later passage or not.
“Bennu” will then be closer to the earth than the moon.
According to previous forecasts between 120,700 and 531,000 kilometers.
The distance between the earth and the moon is only 384,400 kilometers.
According to the researchers, the asteroid must pass a "gravitational keyhole" on its way.
These keyholes are areas in space that could steer the asteroid on a collision course due to our Earth's gravity.
According to the researchers, the chance is very slim.
But even the smallest force could significantly deflect its orbit over time, causing the asteroid to pass or miss a keyhole entirely.
Calculating the future orbit of “Bennu” is a challenge, according to the researchers.
When will the asteroid "Bennu" hit Earth?
The most likely time period for a collision with "Bennu" is from the 2100s to the 2200s.
There is a 1 in 1750 chance of a collision within the next 300 years.
Compared to previous calculations, the risk has increased slightly.
They came up with a 1 in 2700 chance of an impact up to 2200.
The researchers were able to identify the greatest threat for September 24, 2182.
On this day, the probability of a collision is 1 in 2700.
+
NASA OSIRIS REx mission to the asteroid "Bennu".
© Mike Moreau / NASA
That is why the asteroid "Bennu" is considered to be potentially dangerous
“Bennu” is classified as a “Potentially Dangerous Astroid”.
This category includes near-earth objects that are larger than 140 meters and can approach our planet up to 7.4 million kilometers.
Although the probability that "Bennu" hits the earth is very low, "Bennu" remains one of the most dangerous known asteroids in our solar system, alongside the asteroid named 1950 DA according to NASA.
Again and again asteroids rush past the earth.
This also includes the so-called asteroid "God of Chaos", which was named after an Egyptian deity.
It will even be visible to the naked eye as it approaches the earth.
In 2020, it was double the size of the Empire State Building.
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