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more or less 66 million years ago , Earth was strike by a city - size asteroid . The impact released the energy tantamount to the explosion of 72 trillion tons ( 65 metric tons ) of TNT , carving a 100 - mile - spacious ( 180 kilometer ) cicatrice in what is now Mexico ’s Yucatán Peninsula .
The most infamous effect of this asteroid , make the Chicxulub impactor , was thedeath of the nonavian dinosaursalong with around three - fourth of Earth ’s species in an event called the Cretaceous - Paleogene extinguishing .
An illustration of a near-Earth asteroid making a close pass of Earth
In an endeavor to prevent similarly ruinous collision , NASA ’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies ( CNEOS)operates the Sentry encroachment - monitoring organization , which continuously perform long - full term analyses of potential time to come revolve ofpotentially risky asteroid . Here are the five asteroids that pose the greatest risk to Earth .
Related:‘Planet slayer ' asteroid are hide in the sun ’s glare . Can we stop them in time ?
1. Bennu
Size:0.30 naut mi ( 0.49 kilometer)Mass:74 million ton ( 67 million metric tons )
identify in September 1999 and formally designated " 101955 Bennu ( 1999 RQ36 ) , " the near - Earth asteroid Bennu presently poses the greatest hazard of impacting our major planet — but fortunately , not for some time . NASAscientists cipher that when Bennu makes a confining approach to Earth on Sept. 24 , 2182 , there is a 0.037 % — or 1 in 2,700 — opportunity that the asteroid will impress our planet .
In cookery for this , scientists are learning as much as they can about this atomic number 6 - rich asteroid , which is believe to have burst aside from a larger asteroid between 2 billion and 700 million old age ago . On Sept. 24 , 2023,NASA ’s OSIRIS - REx ballistic capsule returned a sample of Bennu to Earth , and the space rock has been analyzed by teams of researcher across the ball . Early consequence propose thatBennu contains the building blocks of life , let in the simple amino group Zen glycine , as well as many water - bearing mineral . This suggests Bennu ’s parent soundbox witnessed many piddle - related episodes before finally fracturing , Live Science antecedently reported .
Asteroid Bennu, as seen on Jan. 6, 2019, by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.
If Bennu impact Earth , it would release the energy tantamount to the detonation of1.4 billion slews of TNT , get regional demolition but lack the potential to cause spheric desolation . If it were to bear on a densely populated area , Bennu could cause million of deaths .
Related : Could scientist stop a ' planet killer ' asteroid from hitting Earth ?
2. 29075 (1950 DA)
Size:0.81 mile ( 1.3 kilometers)Mass:78 million oodles ( 71 metrical tons )
The secondly - speculative object isthe asteroid29075 ( 1950 DA ) , which was fall back after its initial uncovering in February 1950 and rediscover 50 long time subsequently . 1950 DA is believe to be a escaped - detritus - pile asteroid with in high spirits iron - nickel content . presently , 1950 DA has a 0.0029 % — or 1 in 34,500 — chance of bear on Earth on March 16 , 2880 .
If 1950 DA were to slay Earth , it would release the energy tantamount to 75 billion slews of TNT — enough totrigger a global catastrophethat could potentially wipe out mankind .
The orbital path of asteroid 29075 (1950 DA), showing where it intersects with Earth’s orbit.
3. 2023 TL4
Size:0.20 mile ( 0.33 kilometer)Mass:47 million gobs ( 43 million metrical net ton )
2023 TL4 , discovered in 2023 , demonstrate that a newfound blank space aim can forthwith become one of the mostpotentially hazardous asteroids . From observations collect between Oct. 8 and Oct. 19 , 2023 , astronomer calculated that 2023 TL4 has a 0.00055 % — or 1 in 181,000 — chance of striking Earth on Oct. 10 , 2119 . Should such an impact pass off , 2023 TL4 would release the vigor equivalent to the explosion of 7.5 billion ton of TNT .
4. 2007 FT3
Size:0.21 mile ( 0.34 kilometer)Mass:54 million lashings ( 49 million metrical tons )
2007 FT3is defined as a " lost asteroid " because astronomers have n’t seen it since 2007 . This object ’s orbit is currently not well constrained , but NASA predicts that the asteroid has a 0.0000096 % — or 1 in 10 million — probability of scratch our major planet on March 3 , 2030 . The asteroid has a slimly lower probability of 0.0000087 % — or 1 in 11.5 million — chance of hit Earth on Oct. 5 , 2024 .
Should such an impingement happen in 2024 or 2030 , FT3 would release the energy equivalent to the blowup of 2.6 billion oodles of TNT — enough to do monolithic regional damage , but not to trigger a world-wide cataclysm .
The orbital path of asteroid 2023 TL4, showing where it intersects with Earth’s orbit.
5. 1979 XB
Size:0.41 mile ( 0.66 kilometer)Mass:390 million tons ( 354 metrical dozens )
Another lost asteroid,1979 XB , has n’t been learn for around 40 years and thus also has a badly infer orbit . From what CNEOS scientists do understand , the asteroid , which was first keep on Dec. 11 , 1979 , has a 0.000055 % — or 1 in 1.8 million — chance of striking Earth on Dec. 14 , 2113 . Such a hit would free the same DOE as the blowup of 30 billion tons of TNT .
(Dis) Honorable mention: 99942 Apophis
Size:0.21 mile ( 0.34 kilometer)Mass:27 million wads ( 24 metrical tons )
It ’s unvoiced to talk about risky asteroids without mentioning99942 Apophis . This asteroid — with a befittingly apocalyptical name referencing Apep the Uncreator , an foe of the Ancient Egyptian sun god Ra — sat atop the risky - asteroid mesa for almost two decades .
Discovered in June 2004 , Apophis was promptly identify as one of the most hazardous asteroid that could impact Earth . But that changed in 2021 , when a radar reflection campaign better constrain the asteroid ’s orbit . This led astronomers to conclude that the 1,100 - foot - broad ( 340 m ) Apophis amaze no risk of infection to Earth for at least 100 years . It now sits in the"removed objects " sectionof the Sentry Risk mesa .
The orbital path of asteroid 2007 FT3, showing where it intersects with Earth’s orbit.
That means skywatchers will be able to observe Apophis during its secretive approach in 2029 as it surpass within 20,000 mile ( 32,000 km ) — stuffy than some satellites — withbinocularsandtelescopes , without the fear that its returns in 2036 and 2068 will threaten the planet .
So what is the risk?
The idea of an asteroid smash is direful , but all of the quad stone on this list are listed as " zero , " or " white , " on theTorino Impact Hazardscale . Adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1999 , the Torino scale gives asteroids a number ranging from 0 to 10 , indicating both the risk of shock and the moment of such a work stoppage .
Level 0 , the white zone , indicates zero endangerment of impact or at least a risk so low it might as well be zero . This grade applies not only to asteroids that will escape Earth but also to minor objects from space that will burn up in the aura and thus stupefy no scourge .
level 8 to 10 , on the other hand , are in the red zone , represent asteroid that will certainly clash with Earth , with effects ranging from set destruction ( Level 8) and unprecedented regional devastation ( grade 9 ) to world-wide climatic cataclysm ( stage 10 ) that may endanger the future of civilization as we have sex it .
The orbital path of asteroid 1979 XB, showing where it intersects with Earth’s orbit.
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ESA Herschel Space Observatory captured asteroid Apophis in its field of view during the approach to Earth on Jan. 5 and 6, 2013.
At the moment , there are no objective on the Sentry Risk tabular array above level 0 . Bennu and 1950 DA do n’t have Torino rating because their predicted impact are more than 100 days into the future . AsNASA states , " There is currently no known substantial threat of impact for the next hundred age or more . "
Of naturally , there still could be potentially hazardous objects out there wait to be found — indeed , thou of potential " metropolis - killers " and even some " planet - killers " may be hiding in the sun ’s limelight — which is why CNEOS is ever vigilant in its lookup for close - world asteroids .
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