Asteroid Threat: NASA Tracks Space Rock with 1-in-43 Chance of Earth Impact

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) agency is closely monitoring an asteroid which could hit earth in 2032. The James Webb space telescope (JWST) is being used by the space agency to closely monitor the rock. According to them, there is a 1 in 43 chance of the asteroid impacting earth, however scientists are working to even refine their predictions.  

NASA claims that if the asteroid hits the earth, it could release energy equal to 15 megatons of TNT, which is nearly a hundred times more powerful than Hiroshima bomb. Scientists are even comparing the potential damage to the Tunguska event that took place in 1908 and flattened millions of trees in Siberia.  

According to NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, they identified the asteroid for the first time in December 2024. According to the information shared by them the asteroid is around 180 feet or 55 meters wide, which is similar to the height of the Leaning tower of Pisa.  

NASA Further shed light on why they are using the James Webb telescope for this research stating that it avoids interference from Earth’s atmosphere, unlike other ground-based telescopes. NASA further stated that it helps measure asteroid’s heat, further providing a more accurate estimate of its size and potential effects.  

Officials from European Space Agency (ESA) shed light on the asteroid as well. They stated that the 40 meter asteroid poses different risks than a 90 meter asteroid, which further makes it important to find the exact size of the asteroid which will help prepare the authorities to prepare proper response strategies.  

The first view of the asteroid could be seen in March 2025 as during that time the asteroid will be the brightest, however the second chance to experience the same will be in May 2025, and then it will eventually elope until 2028. Hence, this becomes crucial for scientists to gather all pieces of information they could before that, in order to study the asteroid better.