About 6.5 billion years ago, an asteroid about ten kilometers wide hit the Earth, causing more than 75 percent of life, including dinosaurs, to become extinct. Another such asteroid is now causing concern. Its name is ‘Bennu’. NASA scientists working on the asteroid say the risk is higher than previously thought. Estimates were made as to how likely it would be to collide from time to time. And what is an asteroid? Where is Want to know the details without researching it ?.
Where is the Bennu ..?
In our solar system, there is an asteroid belt between the planets Mars and Jupiter. About one million asteroids, large and small, orbit in that region. Since then, some of the asteroid fragments have been orbiting in comet-like elliptical orbits. This means that another planet will cross the orbit and go a little closer to the sun and come back. It is in this order that the planet is most likely to collide. Scientists estimate that the asteroid ‘Bennu’ also orbited and landed in the region between Earth and Mars. The ‘Bennu’ orbits the Sun for 1.2 years. During this time the Earth crosses its orbit twice.
How dangerous?
‘Bennu’ is one of the asteroids that could endanger Earth in the future. Its width is 490 meters (1,600 feet). In fact, it was initially thought that there would be no major danger with this. But expectations have changed with the revelations of NASA’s Osiris-Rex spacecraft launch on the asteroid.
It was initially estimated to be closest to Earth between 2175 and 2199. The probability of a collision was estimated to be 0.037 percent (one in 2,700).
According to current estimates, the chances of Ben hitting the ground have increased. On September 24, 2182, the probability of an accident was found to be 0.057 percent (one in 1,750).
In the year 2135, it was concluded that Ben would be the closest to Earth, at which time the Earth would be exposed to gravity. Even if the risk of colliding with the ground is low then .. the effect of ‘Yorkovsky’.
NASA said that due to the attraction of the earth and other planets, the ‘bennu’ became orbital and could become dangerous.
What is the ‘Yorkovsky’ effect?
Asteroids also rotate around in Earth-like orbits as they orbit. During this time, the surface of the asteroid heats up where it has been exposed to sunlight, and as it rotates backward, it cools down in the form of “thermal radiation”. During this time a slight pressure builds up .. pushes the asteroid towards the light (towards the sun). Changes in orbit occur as the years go by.
Scientists say that changing the orbit like a ‘bennu’ can further increase or decrease the chance of a collision with the Earth.
‘Osiris – Rex’ bringing bennu samples
NASA scientists sent the Osiris-Rex spacecraft aboard the asteroid Bennu in 2016. . Descended on it in October 2020. took samples of the soil and rocks there and headed back to Earth. It will reach Earth in September 2023. NASA scientists will conduct research on those samples. Based on the findings of the spacecraft in this experiment, its travel was recently estimated.
Asteroid Which Collided with Billion Years Back
The asteroid, about 9.6 kilometers (6 miles) wide, collided with Earth under six and a half billion years. This formed a large crater 145 km in diameter on Earth. This crater, known as Chicksulub, is located in the Yucatan region of Mexico. Serious consequences occurred on Earth after that asteroid collided. The epicenter was reported below the Pacific Ocean floor, however; no tsunami alert was issued. Earthquakes occurred. Volcanoes became active and erupted.
The dust and dirt formed by the asteroid explosion accumulated in the atmosphere. Sunlight was reduced for a few years. The plants are dead. Animals and aquatic animals that could not find food became extinct. About 75% of all living things on earth (plants, animals, aquatic life) are extinct. The dinosaurs are completely extinct. It was in these later conditions that mammals and human species developed.
Scientists have recently confirmed that the asteroid to hit Earth that time is the dark ‘asteroid’, which comes from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
