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What would happen if the Earth was hit by an asteroid?
There’s no precedent in the history of complex life on Earth, so we can only extrapolate. All of Earth’s surface would be set on fire. There would be tremendous earthquakes and tsunamis, followed by massive volcanism around the impact zone. The ozone layer would be destroyed. The oceans would turn acidic.
Will the asteroid Apophis ever hit Earth?
Current calculations show that Apophis still has a very small chance of impacting Earth — less than 1 in 100,000 many decades from now. The most important observations of Apophis will come during its close Earth flyby in 2029. Scientists around the world will study the asteroid’s size, shape, composition and possibly even its interior.
Will asteroid asteroid impact Earth in 2029?
When it was discovered in 2004, the asteroid caused a stir because initial calculations indicated a small possibility it would impact Earth in 2029. After searching through some older astronomical images, scientists ruled out the possibility of a 2029 impact.
What is the size of the asteroid 99942 Apophis?
In Depth Asteroid 99942 Apophis is a near-Earth asteroid more than 1000 feet (over 300 meters) in size that will harmlessly pass close to Earth on April 13, 2029. When it was discovered in 2004, the asteroid caused a stir because initial calculations indicated a small possibility it would impact Earth in 2029.
What is the speed of a 10 km asteroid?
Also, a typical speed for meteorites is around 30 kilometers per second. An asteroid 10 kilometers across is so massive that it’s very hard to slow it down. Unlike smaller meteors, it will not be slowed down much by air friction. It will punch through the atmosphere like it’s hardly even there.
Will the Earth ever be hit by a 20-mile-wide object?
Keep in mind that 20-mile-wide objects are extremely rare, relatively speaking. There is no record of Earth being struck by anything that size in the past two billion years. The likelihood of it happening in the next few years is, well, astronomically small. But let’s play out the scenario.
What would happen if the Earth was hit by a supervolcano?
All of Earth’s surface would be set on fire. There would be tremendous earthquakes and tsunamis, followed by massive volcanism around the impact zone. The ozone layer would be destroyed. The oceans would turn acidic.