The 5 most dangerous asteroids for Earth, according to NASA

NASA observes objects moving in space every day. Among them, five are asteroids particularly threatening to Earth. Overview of these space “pebbles” (Live Science).

Bennu, the most dangerous asteroid

With a dimension of 0.49 km and a weight of 74 million tonnes, the asteroid Bennu is the one that would have the greatest chance of hitting our planet Earth.

According to NASA scientists reported by Live Science: “When Bennu approaches Earth on September 24, 2182, there is a 0.037 percent chance, or 1 in 2,700, that the asteroid will impact our planet.” Scientists are therefore striving to learn as much as possible about this asteroid in order to best predict its trajectory but also its chemical composition.

On September 24, 2023, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx returned a sample from Bennu to Earth, the analysis indicating the presence of vital elements like glycine and hydrated minerals.

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The most spectacular photos from NASA and SpaceX

Mosaic image of the asteroid Bennu collected on December 2, 2018 by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft at a distance of 24 km OSIRIS Rex / NASA /Goddard / University of Arizona via FLICKR

29075 (1950 AD), the missing and then rediscovered object

1.3 kilometers for 78 million tons, it is hard to believe that it is no longer found. Initially discovered in 1950, it was “lost” and then rediscovered 50 years later. Asteroid 1950 DA represents a potential danger, with a chance of collision of 0.0029% in 2880.

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Composed mainly of iron and nickel, its impact would release energy equivalent to 75 billion tons of TNT. According to NASA, “potentially wipe out humanity.” Just that.

2023 TL4, small but mighty

0.33 kilometers and 47 million tons: 2023 TL4 (due to its discovery in 2023) has nothing to envy its predecessors.

With smaller dimensions, certainly, its impact would not be less devastating. Its arrival in our sector, estimated by experts around the year 2119, risks “0.00055% (i.e. 1 chance in 181,000)” to lead to a collision with Earth, according to NASA.

If so, its energy would represent “equivalent to the detonation of 7.5 billion tons of TNT.”

2007 FT3, the mysterious forgotten

Not seen since 2007 (hence its name), asteroid 2007 FT3 is relatively equivalent in size to 2023 TL4, at 0.34 kilometers and 54 million tons.

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NASA predicts that the asteroid has “0.0000096% chance (1 in 10 million) of hitting our planet on March 3, 2030.” However, its composition and its origin still remain to be defined.

1979 XB, the other forgotten

Asteroid 1979 XB is another object that has been lost to sight, and has not been observed for about 40 years, leading to incomplete knowledge of its orbit. Its dimensions are 0.66 kilometers for approximately 390 million tonnes.

According to CNEOS scientists, it was first spotted on December 11, 1979, and it has a probability of collision with Earth of “0.000055% (or 1 in 1.8 million chances) on December 14, 2113.”

In the event of a collision, the energy released would be equivalent to the detonation of 30 billion tons of TNT, or the destruction of an entire region of our planet.