An asteroid the scale of an Olympic swimming pool has a small likelihood of barreling into Earth on Valentine’s Day 23 years from now, in response to scientists.
The asteroid, named 2023 DW, has a one in 625 likelihood of slamming into Earth on Feb. 14, 2046, in response to the European Space Agency.
The space rock, with a 50-meter diameter, is on the primary spot on the agency’s “Risk List” of space objects which have a greater than zero probability of constructing impact to Earth.
2023 DW is the one asteroid on the list that scored a 1 on the Torino scale, which is used to categorize the danger of impact to Earth level. All others have 0 rankings.
Level 1 indicates that the prospect of collision is “extremely unlikely with no cause for public attention or public concern,” in response to the Center for Near Earth Object Studies.
“Latest telescopic observations very likely will result in re-assignment to Level 0,” the dimensions states.
NASA said it has been tracking 2023 DW, stating it has “a really small likelihood of impacting Earth in 2046.”
“Often when latest objects are first discovered, it takes several weeks of knowledge to scale back the uncertainties and adequately predict their orbits years into the longer term,” NASA Asteroid Watch tweeted.
Orbit analysts will proceed to watch its movement, the agency added.
If 2023 DW’s risk of impacting Earth increases, NASA has proven it has the technology to guard the planet.
Last yr NASA successfully modified the orbit of a small asteroid with the intention to redirect its trajectory in a mission called DART.
