Many are the resources that the different space agencies around the world dedicate to space research and exploration. Within these items of money and personnel, we have to highlight that there is one, quite important also, that is dedicated to space exploration and trying discover and detect early all kinds of threats to our beloved planet Earth.
Due to this, it is not surprising that from time to time we receive reports that tell us how certain asteroids, especially the largest ones that could pose a certain danger to the Earth, pass very close to it. We will have a clear example next October 12 of this year 2017, a date where, as reported by the ESA, European Space Agency, asteroid 2012 TC4 will pass very close to Earth.
An asteroid of 15 to 30 meters in diameter will pass close to Earth but without creating any kind of consequence or mishap
As the asteroid's name indicates, its presence was discovered in 2012 by the Pan-STARRS panoramic survey telescope located in Hawaii. As for its most interesting characteristics, comment that we are talking about a asteroid about 15 to 30 meters in diameter, a size that may seem small, especially if we compare it with the largest that has passed near the Earth and that was about 620 meters in diameter, but that, if it hit our planet, perhaps it could not seriously damage it, but if it could cause certain problems that we must have planned and above all prepared to face, hence all the movements of the same are being monitored at all times.
According to comments made by experts from ESA itself and the entire number of astronomers who are watching its movement, it has been estimated that the asteroid 2012 TC4 will fly over our planet at a speed of 14 kilometers per second going to a distance of 44.000 kilometers. Supposedly this distance will prevent the asteroid from affecting the operation of even the satellites farthest from the geostationary orbit of the Earth and which are located about 36.000 kilometers from Earth.
If an asteroid like 2012 TC4 hit the Earth it would not have devastating consequences
According to statements made by the scientist detlef koschny, current member of the Near Earth Objects research team, a team funded directly by ESA funds:
We know for sure that there is no possibility of this object hitting Earth. There is no danger.
However… What would happen if, against all odds, the asteroid finally changes its trajectory and heads towards Earth? Apparently and according to the ESA experts who have been asked about this hypothetical possibility, however unlikely it may seem, the impact of this asteroid with the Earth would have a risk very similar to that of the Chelyabinsk incident, a town in Russia, in 2013.
As a reminder, tell you that we are talking about a piece of a comet that exploded in the atmosphere. The shock wave that produced this explosion caused the windows of more than 6.000 buildings will break causing 1.500 people to be injured. As you can see, the positive part of this is that we are not talking about an event with devastating consequences or anything like that, although we would have to be prepared.
Our scientists will have the opportunity to investigate the orbit and composition of this type of celestial body
Leaving aside the hypothetical possibility that something like this could happen, the truth is that scientists around the planet now have the opportunity to learn much more about the orbit and composition of asteroids. As can be read in the press release published by the experts of the ESA:
This event will exercise the international network of observatories and research organizations that work in planetary defense.
Further information: Tech Times