NASA scientists have predicted that an asteroid, which is thought to be as large as an Olympic swimming pool, may strike Earth on Valentine’s Day in 2046, which is 23 years from today. According to the European Space Agency, there is a one in 625 probability that the asteroid, designated 2023 DW, will collide with Earth on February 14th, 2046.
The government has ranked the asteroid, which has a diameter of 50 metres, at the top of the ‘Risk List’ of space objects that have a greater than zero likelihood of colliding with Earth.
2023 DW stands as the only asteroid present on the list which has a score of 1 on the Torino scale, which is used to measure the chances of the space object impacting the Earth. All other objects have 0 ratings.
Level 1 is indicative of the fact that the chances of an asteroid colliding with the earth are ‘extremely unlikely with no cause for public attention or public concern,’ the Centre for Near Earth Object Studies stated.
Meanwhile, NASA, which has been tracking the asteroid 2023 DW, said that it has ‘a very small chance of impacting Earth in 2046.’
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