Thaindian News

Washington DC, July 28 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Scientists who are studying asteroid 1999 RQ36 says the asteroid just has 1 in 1000 chance of hitting the planet Earth.

Scientists’ also say even if at the asteroid would hit Earth, it will likely do so in 2182, that is 172 years away.

Scientists in Spain who used mathematical calculations to determine the possibility of asteroid 1999 RQ36 hitting the planet. The scientists have published their report on the calculations they carried out in the science journal, Icarus.

The scientists said the asteroid, which was discovered in 1999, still has some uncertainty regarding whether it will hit planet earth or not because of what they call the Yarkovsky effect. According to the scientists, the Yarkovsky effect causes the asteroid to gain momentum, which over time influences its path.

According to the scientists calculations, chances that the asteroid will hit earth in 2060 is very remote, but the chance of impact increases by a magnitude of four after 20 years from 2060 because the asteroid’s orbit will push the asteroid closer to earth. Scientists say the risk of impact will decrease again after 2080 because the asteroid will move away from earth and the risk will increase again after 2162. However the biggest risk is in 2182 when the asteroid could hit the planet.

The asteroid is about 560 meters in diameter and scientists who have been monitoring the asteroid since 1999, say it could make a huge damage if it hit the planet.