asteroid 2023 DW: Will asteroid 2023 DW hit Earth on Valentine’s Day in 2046? Know what NASA and ESA have said about its possibility

After asteroid 2011 UL21 came close to the Earth at the speed of around 58,000 miles per hour and crossed it at a distance of 4.1 million miles without any impact, the question looming large is- what next? The asteroid passed the Earth approximately 17 times farther away than the moon. But this distance is not too much in astronomical science, where distance is measured in light years. European Space Agency has predicted that a 50-metre-wide asteroid, known as 2023 DW, may visit us on February 14, 2046. Discovered on 26 February, it has a one-in-607 chance of affecting Earth. So, what the rendezvous on Valentine’s Day after more than two decades will be like?

Asteroid 2023 DW: Size

CBS News has reported that asteroid 2023 DW may be the size of an Olympic swimming pool or even larger.

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Torino scale

Developed in 1999, the Torino scale is a method to rate space objects’ risk of colliding with Earth and this asteroid has been ranked as number one on that scale. This means it poses no unusual level of danger and the chance of collision is extremely unlikely, with no cause for public attention or public concern.

But, according to NASA, asteroid 2023, DW stands apart from the other 1,448 asteroids on the risk list as the only one with a ranking higher than 0. Still, its chances of collision with the Earth are very low.

As noted by Kevin Heider #2023DW (diameter ~48 meters), JPL shows a 1 in 1,200 chance of impact on 14 February 2046. Here an image on Feb. 28.88 UT, mv ~ 20.0, from Sormano2 (G. Ventre) . pic.twitter.com/TWAHNR4JDX

— PS (@Piero_Sicoli) March 1, 2023

According to CBS News, Italian astronomer Piero Sicoli has said that the chance of 2023 DW hitting Earth was 1 in 400 and devised a map predicting where the asteroid could hit. According to ‘Forbes’, asteroids generally fall on the scale of risk when additional observations come in. It has also been said that there is less than a one percent chance of the asteroid hitting the Earth in 23 years.Also Read: My Hero Academia Season 7 release date: Total episodes, when and how to watch episode 10

What are asteroids?

Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the Sun as planets do, but they are much smaller in size. They are small, rocky objects that orbit the sun. Although asteroids orbit the sun like planets, they are much smaller than planets.

FAQs:

What is asteroid 2023 DW?
Asteroid asteroid 2023 DW is a 50-metre wide asteroid, that may come close to the Earth on February 14, 2046. Discovered on 26 February, it has a one-in-607 chance of affecting Earth.

What is the Torino Scale?
Developed in 1999, the Torino scale is a method to rate space objects’ risk of colliding with Earth and this asteroid has been ranked as number one on that scale. This means it poses no unusual level of danger and the chance of collision is extremely unlikely, with no cause for public attention or public concern.