The Big Five: Asteroids on a Collision Course with Earth? Are they just passing by, or is there a chance they could come knocking?

The Solar System holds five ticking time bombs in the form of asteroids with a trajectory that could intersect with Earth. Explore the fascinating and frightening possibilities of these gargantuan space rocks.

Within our Solar System, there are five asteroids that stand out for their potential to dramatically alter Earth’s course.

Among NASA’s critical tasks is the vigilant monitoring of these space travelers, whose high-velocity journeys could intersect with our world.

Our planet is no stranger to asteroid encounters, with a significant collision occurring 66 million years ago. This ancient impact, delivered by an asteroid roughly the size of a city, carved out a massive crater in today’s Yucatán Peninsula and triggered the mass extinction event that saw the end of the dinosaurs.

Today, thanks to NASA’s capabilities, we can track such colossal objects, anticipate their paths, and even strategize on how to deflect them, preventing the kind of global catastrophe that occurred during the Cretaceous-Paleogene period.

Despite these advances, the threat from space has not been fully neutralized. There are still numerous asteroids with the potential to erase civilizations, including a notorious list of five.

Space’s Most Wanted: The Five Most Dangerous Asteroids Endangering Earth

Bennu

Bennu, a vast asteroid discovered in 1999, tops this list. Its immense mass and proximity to Earth make it a subject of intense study. NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) has reassuringly calculated a meager 0.037 percent probability of Bennu impacting Earth when it swings by in 2182.

The OSIRIS-REx mission recently fetched a sample from Bennu, offering scientists precious material to study and prepare for future scenarios.

29075 (1950 DA)

29075, also known as 1950 DA, is another formidable asteroid, with an iron-nickel composition and a non-negligible chance of Earth impact in the distant future.

It carries the destructive power to extinguish human life, a stark reminder of the devastating potential lurking within our Solar System.

Spanning 0.20 miles in diameter and with a mass of 47 million tons, scientists have estimated that there is a 0.00055 percent probability, equivalent to a 1 in 181,000 chance, that it could impact Earth on October 10, 2119.

2023 TL4

The newly spotted 2023 TL4 has quickly been categorized as a significant threat due to its size and trajectory. Although its chance of impact is low, the consequences would be monumental.

2007 FT3

2007 FT3, a ‘lost asteroid,’ has eluded detection since its discovery. However, NASA’s calculations suggest a very slim probability of it colliding with Earth in the next few decades, with potential damage on a regional scale.

NASA has determined that 2007 FT3 carries a very slight chance—0.0000096 percent, or 1 in 10 million—of impacting Earth on March 3, 2030. Additionally, it has a slightly smaller probability of 0.0000087 percent, or 1 in 11.5 million, of an Earth encounter on October 5, 2024.

Should 2007 FT3 collide with our planet on either of these dates, it is expected to unleash an enormous amount of energy, equivalent to the explosion of 2.6 billion tons of TNT. While such an event would lead to significant regional destruction, it is not predicted to be a global-scale disaster.

1979 XB

Finally, there’s 1979 XB, another lost asteroid with an uncertain orbit and a minuscule chance of Earth impact. If such an event were to occur, it would have planet-wide implications.

While the possibility of an impact from these five asteroids exists, the chances remain slim, and with each scientific advance, our ability to protect our planet improves.

These celestial nomads serve as a reminder of our place in the cosmos and the importance of looking to the stars.

Image Credit: iStock