imago
In few days it is once again so far! Then a gigantic asteroid from the depths of the universe approaches our earth. Because of its enormous size of 1,300 meters the NASA classifies the asteroid 7482 as dangerous for the earth. But how large is the danger on an impact actually?
1,300-meter asteroid comes close to Earth
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The asteroid 7482 has been known to scientists for some time. The asteroid which has the size of two Empire States buildings, according to researchers, will reach its closest point to Earth on January 18, 2022, and was discovered back in 1994. If the asteroid should collide with the earth this would have catastrophic effects, because the researchers indicate the size with between 1,000 and 1,300 meters. Enough to trigger a huge catastrophe in the event of an impact. Even a projectile from space of only 300 meters in diameter would be able to wipe out an entire continent. A giant asteroid is said to have been responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. The huge asteroid had crashed into the sea near Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and affected the climate around the entire globe for several years.
Asteroid 7482 will not hit Earth
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Obviously, the chance of a catastrophe is fortunately vanishingly small. Because NASA researchers have calculated that the asteroid will miss the Earth by about 2 million kilometers. This corresponds to 5 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon. This month, moreover, the asteroids 2013 YD48 and 2017 XC62 will also come close to Earth. For these two asteroids, however, the distance is much greater, at 6 and 7 million kilometers, respectively. “It may be the case today, tomorrow, or even 500,000 years from now that such a chunk of rock will hit us,” he said. It can happen – but the probability is not particularly high,” physicist Werner Gruber reassured the Austrian private television station PULS 4. In addition, NASA is now already planning countermeasures against an asteroid impact on Earth. With the project “Dart” is to be tried to deflect the orbit of a large asteroid in time. One may be curious whether this project can be finished successfully.