Get the latest Science News and Discoveries

One Wrong Hit Could Send an Asteroid on a Collision Course with Earth


It was a chilly night when I peered through my 10” Meade LX200 telescope from Norfolk in the UK! I wasn’t completely convinced it would appear nor even be visible but bang on the prediction, asteroid 2002 MN drifted by my field of view and I was amazed at how accurately we could predict its path! That precision in tracking asteroid trajectories has become even more critical now that we're actively exploring how we can deflect them. A team of scientists have made a discovery about asteroid deflection that's both fascinating and sobering at the same time. Hit an asteroid in the wrong spot, and you might accidentally steer it through a

None

Get the Android app

Or read this on Universe Today

Read more on:

Photo of Earth

Earth

Photo of asteroid

asteroid

Photo of collision course

collision course

Related news:

News photo

Future ocean warming may cause large reductions in Prochlorococcus biomass and productivity. Prochlorococcus is Earth’s most abundant photosynthetic organism and crucial to oceanic ecosystems.

News photo

Is Earth’s climate in a state of 'termination shock'?

News photo

Hit the wrong spot and an asteroid returns on a collision course