In 2135, asteroid Bennu will make a close approach with Earth. The journal Icarus published the new study, Ephemeris and hazard assessment for near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu based on OSIRIS-REx data. Those predictions were published in a study, also released on August 11. A NASA statement said that, along with collecting a sample from Bennu’s surface, the spacecraft provided precision data to better predict the near-Earth object’s orbit around the sun. It’s a bit wider than the Empire State Building in New York City is tall. The spacecraft learned, among other things, that Bennu is very dark, and very ancient. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft rendezvoused with Bennu in late 2018 and touched down on the asteroid’s surface in late 2020, successfully collecting a sample. NASA was concerned enough about Bennu that it sent a spacecraft to the asteroid. Still, Bennu and another asteroid known as (29075) 1950 DA remain the two most hazardous asteroids to Earth, as far as scientists know at this time. I don’t think we need to do anything about Bennu. Planetary scientist Lindley Johnson of NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office said at Wednesday’s press briefing: The estimates suggest a slightly greater chance than previously, but scientists say they are not worried. The greatest chance in the next 300 years will come on September 24, 2182. At a news conference on August 11, 2021, NASA scientists said there is a 1-in-1,750 chance that asteroid Bennu could collide with Earth between now and the year 2300.
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