NASA scientists predict that there is a chance that asteroid Bennu will strike Earth in the future which would potentially affect an area the size of Texas. Experts have been watching the asteroid since it was discovered in September 1999.
Bennu is considered a Near-Earth Object (NEO) that passes by the planet roughly every six years, according to scientists.
Bennu has a chance to pass through what they call a “gravity keyhole,” which would send it on a collision course with Earth, scientists say.
Bennu has a 0.037% chance (1 in 2,700) of hitting Earth, according to a new paper from the OSIRIS-REx science team. This will largely depend on another flyby.
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On September 24, 2182, Bennu will make a close approach to Earth. If our planet's gravitational pull affects it in just the right way, it could potentially be put on a collision course with Earth. - NASA
asteroid Bennu
Photo courtesy NASA