Bennu, a rugged, rock-spewing asteroid with a diameter of about one-third of a mile, is headed in our direction, on track to come very close to Earth in September of 2135.
But not to panic, scientists with NASA said Wednesday. Though Bennu will come within half the distance of the moon, the odds of the asteroid colliding with Earth in the next century and causing Armageddon-type of destruction are still very low.
NASA slightly improves the odds that asteroid Bennu hits Earth.
If the thought of an extinction event–level asteroid hitting Earth keeps you up at night, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has relatively good news for you: the chances of asteroid Bennu striking Earth are higher than previously thought, but probably not high enough to
Fizzing Sodium Could Explain Asteroid Phaethon's Cometlike Activity
This illustration depicts asteroid Phaethon being heated by the Sun. The asteroid's surface gets so hot that sodium inside Phaethon's rock may vaporize and vent into space, causing it to brighten like a comet and dislodge small pieces of rocky debris.
Models and lab tests suggest the asteroid could be venting sodium vapor as it orbits close to the Sun, explaining its increase in brightness.
RIT professor compares ‘quadrillion dollar asteroid’ to mining ocean for gold |
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Undeniably, the phrase “worth a quadrillion dollars” is bound to catch someone’s attention. This time, that inconceivable sum is attached to an asteroid called “Psyche.”
The massive asteroid — located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter — is estimated to be compromised of a massive amount of iron, nickel, and other rare metals like platinum and osmium.
In 2182, It Could Be Cloudy With a Chance of Asteroid | Smart News | Smithsonian Magazine
Have important plans for September 24, 2182? Consider rescheduling. That’s the date when a half-mile-wide asteroid could pass close—very close—to Earth.
“I don’t think we need to do anything about Bennu,” planetary scientist Lindley Johnson of NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office says in a press briefing, according to Science .
NASA Asteroid Deflection Spacecraft Now in Finishing Touches; Betsy Congdon Quoted
DRACO and ROSA will help DART navigate and travel to the Didymos asteroid system. The International Space Station tested an earlier version of the Redwire-developed ROSA in 2017.
"With the successful installation and testing of two critical technologies, DRACO and ROSA, we're very confident that DART is ready to complete its final system testing and reviews before shipping to the launch site," said Betsy Congdon, a mechanical engineer working on DART.
Happening on Twitter
In just 58,845 days — on Sept. 24, 2182 — NASA scientists say an asteroid the size of the Empire State Building has… https://t.co/yQuJHyZ0Fk nytimes (from New York City) Sat Aug 14 22:40:05 +0000 2021
NASA slightly improves the odds that asteroid Bennu hits Earth -- humanity will be ready regardless https://t.co/Cc0hgQMRX0 RawStory (from Washington, DC) Sun Aug 15 17:13:26 +0000 2021
An asteroid the size of the Empire State Building has a slight chance of hitting Earth. Don't worry. You'll long be… https://t.co/ShQe3FIlgK NYTScience (from New York, NY) Sun Aug 15 04:21:25 +0000 2021
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