NASA Discovers Asteroid as Big as Olympic-size Swimming Pool; Space Rock Has 1-in-600 Chance of Impacting Earth

A huge asteroid was observed to have a 1-in-600 chance of hitting the earth around two decades from now.

Asteroid as Big as Olympic-sized Swimming Pool May Collide With Earth

Though this 1-in-600 chance may be higher than the average risk levels for asteroids that are near earth, the likelihood is still remarkably small. Live Science reports that this risk level may decrease further as NASA gets better observations of the space rock.

The space rock, dubbed 2023DW, was first spotted on February 27. Estimates suggest that it has a diameter of around 165 feet, which is roughly equivalent to an Olympic-size swimming pool's length. Though this rock may not lead to the earth's end if it were to collide with the planet, it may significantly affect and cause damage to the specific region that it hits, if it were to indeed strike.

Fox Weather notes that the space rock can finish its solar orbit in 271 days.

Projections reveal that the asteroid may approach earth closely by February 14, 2026. The Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre of the ESA (European Space Agency) predicts that there is a 1-in-625 chance of collision. These odds, however, are also undergoing consistent recalculations.

According to EarthSky, the asteroid also has a score of 1 according to the Torino scale. Such a score implies that it may not pose any unusual dangers. It further indicates that the chances of a collision are low and that there is no need to concern or alert the public. Further observations may bring the score down to zero.

VICE reports that, according to NASA, it may take many weeks' worth of data in order to decrease the uncertainty and predict the future orbits of newly discovered objects. Analysts will keep checking the space rock and updating the predictions as more data gets generated.

A direct hit from the space rock may not be as catastrophic as the huge asteroid that eradicated non-avian asteroids around 66 million years ago. However, 2023DW doubles the size of the object that blasted over Chelyabinsk skies back in 2013. This huge explosion caused damage to thousands of buildings. Moreover, around 1,500 individuals got injured because of it.

Planetary Defense

Though it is unlikely for the massive space rock to collide with earth, specialists are continuously coming up with technologies to safeguard the earth against potentially hazardous asteroids like 2023DW.

This is the particular focus of NASA's DART Mission. In fact, just recently, four studies confirmed that the DART mission was able to successfully change a small asteroid's trajectory after a deployed craft had crashed into it. The studies delved deeper into the success and impacts of such a milestone.

Further studies and missions are currently at work in order to hone the potential planetary defense approach.

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