NASA astronomers have added another NEO to their watch list of potential threats.
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A 50-meter-wide asteroid discovered in February could hit Earth on Valentine’s Day 2046.
Asteroid 2023 DW was first spotted on February 26, orbiting the Sun, according to several science media reports.
Since then, researchers have noticed and collected some information. It is currently moving at a speed of 24.6 kilometers per second (88,500 km/h), completing an orbit around the sun every 271 days.
Experts say it’s potentially dangerous.
NASA said in its official account on the Asteroid Watch website on Twitter: “We have been tracking a new asteroid called 2023 DW that has a very low chance of impacting Earth in 2046.”
“Often when new objects are first discovered, it takes several weeks of data to reduce the uncertainty and correctly predict their orbits in the years to come.”
NASA’s latest forecasts estimate a 1 in 600 collision risk.
For its part, the European Space Agency has placed this asteroid at the top of the risk list, estimating that there is a 1 in 625 chance of its impact.
It is possible to follow Bolide in real time on the NASA website by clicking here.
Asteroid 2023 DW is the length of an Olympic swimming pool, and if it hits the Earth, it won’t cause catastrophic damage unless it lands in a densely populated area. It can also cause a tsunami if it hits the ocean.
According to scientists, it could be located in the Pacific Ocean.
