Asteroid could hit Earth in September 2182
JUL 29, 2010
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.024541
Daily Mail : It has been calculated that asteroid 1999 RQ36, which is more than 500 meters in diameter, has a 1-in-1000 chance of colliding with Earth by the year 2200, most likely on 24 September 2182. Although the asteroid’s current orbit is known, no one can predict its future path with absolute certainty because of the Yarkovsky effect , which arises when a rotating asteroid absorbs and re-radiates the Sun’s energy, thus altering the asteroid’s orbit. One solution to prevent the asteroid’s potentially devastating collision with Earth: Deflect the asteroid’s trajectory by detonating a nuclear warhead on its surface.
© 2010 American Institute of Physics
