Asteroid Bennu, as big as Empire State Building may hit Earth, says NASA; check details

Scientists of US ncy NASA have w confirmed that an asteroid, which is size of Empire State Building in New York, stands a chance at hitting Earth. asteroid named Bennu is classified as a potentially hazardous object. According to scientists, chances of asteroid collision with Earth between 2021 and 2300 is one in 1,750.

NASA predicts probable collision by 2135

In a study titled Ephemeris and hazard assessment for near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu based on OSIRIS-REx data, NASA said that its researchers used precision-tracking data from ncy’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) craft to better understand movements of potentially hazardous asteroid. According to ncy, this study on movement of asteroid Bennu through year 2300, has significantly reduced uncertainties related to its future orbit, and improved scientists’ ability to determine total impact probability.

“NASA’s Planetary Defence mission is to find and monitor asteroids and comets that can come near Earth and may pose a hazard to our planet,” said Kelly Fast, program manr for Near-Earth Object Observations Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “We carry out this endeavour through continuing astromical surveys that collect data to discover previously unkwn objects and refine our orbital models for m. OSIRIS-REx mission has provided an extraordinary opportunity to refine and test se models, helping us better predict where Bennu will be when it makes its close approach to Earth more than a century from w,” she added.

According to NASA, asteroid Bennu will make a close approach with Earth in year 2135. Although near-Earth object will t pose a danger to our planet at that time, Bennu’s exact trajectory during that encounter must be furr studied in order to predict how Earth’s gravity will alter asteroid’s path around Sun. NASA also informed that ncy, using its Deep Network and state-of--art computer models, were able to significantly shrink uncertainties in Bennu’s orbit. scientists of ncy confirmed that impact probability through year 2300 is about 1 in 1,750 (or 0.057%). Although chances of collision with Earth is low, Bennu remains one of two most hazardous kwn asteroids in our solar system, along with ar asteroid called 1950 DA.

IM: AP/ NASA