Bennu: learn all about the asteroid of the Apocalypse
Advertisements
Who has heard of the asteroid Bennu? Come and learn more about this asteroid.
Who here was already missing the content about space subjects here at Trechos da Vida?
If you follow the site, you know that we are always addressing this topic, exploring a little more about the subjects of the Universe in general.
And to the delight of astronomy fans, today's content will also be about this topic.
Today we are going to talk about Bennu, the feared asteroid of the Apocalypse!
So, what is this asteroid? Why did it get such a threatening nickname? What are the real chances of it colliding with Earth?
These and other questions will be answered throughout this material!
What is the asteroid Bennu?
As you may already know, there is no shortage of celestial bodies in space, right?
And every now and then we end up coming across news that there is a possibility of one or another asteroid colliding with Earth and causing some damage – depending on its diameter.
Bennu – also known as 101955 Bennu – is an Apollo asteroid that was discovered by the LINEAR probe.
The Apollo classification is used to flag groups of asteroids whose orbits are located close to that of our planet.
Despite being the subject of discussions, studies and research today, the discovery of this asteroid is not as recent as one might imagine.
The first time this asteroid was sighted was on September 11, 1999.
With a shape that is more or less spheroidal – resembling the shape of a spinning top – Bennu has an average diameter of approximately 490 meters.
In general, Bennu is like a gigantic “pile of space debris”, containing rocks grouped together and held together by the force that gravity exerts on them.
Why is the asteroid Bennu known as the asteroid of the Apocalypse?
Although there are countless theories and studies that point to the collision of certain asteroids with Earth, we know that the vast majority never happen.
But when we hear about an asteroid that is known as the Apocalypse asteroid, it is inevitable that we do not feel a certain fear about it.
But why is Bennu known by such a threatening nickname?
Taking into account the mathematical studies carried out, the possibility was found that the asteroid could collide with our planet.
Although these chances are relatively remote, mathematical models have managed to establish two dates that, according to what has been presented so far, could be the dates on which Bennu will collide with Earth.
They are: September 24, 2182 – with a chance of impact of one in 2.7 thousand, having something like 0.037% of collision risk.
The other date is even further away: around 2300. In this case, the chance of collision increases slightly, being one in 1,750. This represents a probability of 0.057% of impact risk.
Although the chances are remote, the space rock is considered the most dangerous ever known to date.
And, according to scientists responsible for trying to understand the functioning and structure of the asteroid, a possible collision between Bennu and Earth would result in disturbances across the entire planet.
These potential risks are what have resulted in the slightly terrifying name Bennu has received over the years.
Learn more about the mission to study Bennu and the asteroid's characteristics
In order to reach the conclusion that Bennu posed certain risks to our planet, it was necessary to carry out joint studies by different research institutes.
In parallel, researchers from the University of Arizona and the Colorado Geological Survey carried out their own research and, after analyzing various aspects of the asteroid, both institutions arrived at the same answer.
Much of the information regarding Bennu's structure was collected by the OSIRIS-REx probe.
The mission – which launched in 2016 – targeted Bennu. And the main objective was to better understand and analyze the various aspects of the asteroid itself.
It was only in October 2020 that the OSIRIS-REx probe landed on the asteroid and was able to begin its research.
And it was after two passes by the asteroid that we were able to obtain the necessary information to better understand the level of threat that Bennu poses to us.
They concluded that the asteroid Bennu has a surface that is extremely porous. And it is precisely this factor that could pose risks to planet Earth if this asteroid enters our orbital path.
Right from the probe's first contact with the asteroid, it was possible to see that Bennu was not an asteroid as researchers were used to.
This happened because, in a way, the probe was almost “swallowed” by the asteroid during this first contact.
While coming into contact with the asteroid, one of the probe's arms ended up giving way a little on the surface of Bennu – which, as we just mentioned, has a porous surface.
What saved OSIRIS-REx – and the entire mission the probe represents – were the thrusters installed on it.
The probe managed to fire them and thus retreat and escape the unexpected threat.
Conclusion
As you can see, although there is a chance that Bennu will collide with Earth in the future, the expectation is that this will happen a long time from now!
Until then, new studies regarding the asteroid will be carried out and, with the development of new technologies, it will most likely be easier to predict more clearly the level of threat from this collision.
And, if it still poses a threat to our planet, there will already be plans focused on preventing this collision.
This type of event serves to show the importance of studies involving the Universe and space in general. It is through this research that new discoveries can be made!
Did you like this content? Then why not take the opportunity to read it too What has NASA discovered recently? See what's new in space!
