Asteroids are known to everyone in the world and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be a continuous discussion. Planet Earth is harbouring around a dozen asteroids in the solar system alone that could potentially cause serious damage to our home. Nevertheless, we don’t have much to do but rely on the government to tackle any potential collision courses with an asteroid. We can only pray and hope that any asteroid that threatens our home planet should be destroyed to avoid future collision courses.
My post contains a few of the major asteroids that are on their way towards Earth. Nonetheless, little is known whether any of these asteroids will make a disastrous collision course or not. Let us read more below.
1) Apophis
First discovered in June 2004, astronomers have determined that the asteroid will make a very close flyby on Friday April 13th 2029 when it will pass at least 5 Earth diameters from us. This flyby will actually determine if the asteroid will collide with the Earth seven years later.
In 2004, it was believed that the asteroid would collide with Earth in its flyby. The chances of a collision were 1 in 200 and they had taken more observations. However, instead of noticing a reduced risk of collision, the chances of a collision had reached 1 in 37. It seems as though if this information is true, it will be the most dangerous asteroid ever found. Nonetheless, other accurate orbits were made a while after and the results showed that the asteroid would not collide with Earth in its first flyby. However, this flyby could determine if the asteroid will actually collide with Earth seven years later in 2036.
2) 1999 RQ36
1999 RQ36 is a massive asteroid that is likely to collide with Earth in 2182. The asteroid has a 1 in 1000 chance of hitting Earth before 2200. The asteroid itself was first discovered in 1999 and is 1,800 feet across. This asteroid would cause widespread devastation and maybe even mass extinction. Scientists have also mentioned that if we were to divert the path of the asteroid, the job would have to be done at least 100 years before the collision event. If the job takes place after 2080, the world would require a technology that is not yet available.
Other asteroid that might hit Earth is 1950 DA in 2880.
Overall, asteroid collisions are dangerous and always cause a spark in concern.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99942_Apophis
https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/316690-nasa-asteroid-could-still-hit-earth-in-2068
https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/solar-system/a34511043/god-of-chaos-asteroid-headed-for-earth/