Earth: Nasa says asteroid with force of 22 atomic bombs may hit Earth in this year

Nasa scientists are closely monitoring asteroid Bennu, which might with Earth in approximately 159 years. Bennu measures around 1,610 feet in diameter. There is a theoretical possibility that this asteroid, initially discovered in 1999, could enter Earth’s orbit and pose a threat by September 24, 2182, according to Nasa’s OSIRIS-REx science team, reports NDTV.
Bennu, could unleash 1,200 megatons of energy upon impact, making it 24 times more powerful than the most potent nuclear weapon ever created. Nasa stated, “During the flyby, there is an extremely small chance that Bennu will pass through a ‘gravitational keyhole’ – a region of space that would set it on just the right path to impact Earth late in the 22nd century.”
ABC News reported that Bennu makes close approaches to Earth every six years and has had three near encounters with our planet in 1999, 2005, and 2011. Scientists currently estimate a 1 in 2,700, or 0.037%, chance of Bennu impacting Earth by 2182.
Nasa explained, “While the chances of it hitting Earth are very low, Bennu remains one of the two most hazardous known asteroids in our solar system, along with another asteroid called 1950 DA.”
Bennu, a carbon-rich asteroid discovered in 1999 and categorized as a “near-Earth object,” formed within the first 10 million years of the solar system’s history, over 4.5 billion years ago.