A photo from open sources
PHOTO: NASA In 2182, our planet may collide with an asteroid. Earth faces a new danger from space. Even if in 2029 the planet will avoid a collision with the asteroid Apophis, into it another space wanderer can crash – 1999 RQ36, which in 2182 will get very close to our planet, declared in NASA. “At the moment, the most likely potential threat associated with the asteroid 1999 RQ36 and 2182 (when he draws closer to the Earth), “- said at the international asteroid protection conference leader near-Earth programs at NASA Lindley Johnson. In 2018 US space agency intends to ship by 1999 RQ36 probe to study the shift of its orbit as a result of heating one side of the sun. Thanks to this, as astronomers hope, it will be possible to determine exactly how dangerous the asteroid is for the Earth. Recall that at the end of January 2013 at a distance of 14.46 million km from Earth flew asteroid Apophis. Astronomers are alarmed by the fact that in 2029 this object will approach our planet a distance 36 thousand kilometers. In the event of a 300-meter Apophis collision with Earth consequences will be more serious. According to scientists, the energy released in this case is equivalent to an explosion energy of 506 mgt TNT. In mid-February, at record close to Earth – 27.7 thousand km – the asteroid 2012DA14 flew by. It’s even less distances to geostationary satellites. That day in Chelyabinsk region fell meteorite, which caused significant destruction: glass was broken in more than 7 thousand buildings, injured one and a half thousand people, mainly from glass fragments.
Victor POSPELOV
NASA
