It seems a bit of a wonder that movies like Deep Impact and Armageddon made such an impact on humanity, considering the source of their storyline. One would imagine that the end of all humankind is not necessarily a story built for the masses.
Nevertheless, as time goes by, stories – and news – of life ending, or at least life devastating, asteroids continue to raise the public’s attention; although, attention is probably deserved, even if there is nothing we can do about it.
Scientists have recently discovered one such asteroid that while low on the damage scale (low being a relative term considering how large our planet is) is currently high on the risk meter.
2007 VK184 has been picked up by astronomers, including those at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Near-Earth Objects Program. Currently 90 million kilometers from Earth, 130 meters across and travelling at 70,000 km/h, it could impact the planet sometime in 2048.
What’s interesting though is that it has earned itself a rating of 1 on the Torino scale. The Torino Scale ‘is a method for categorizing the impact hazard associated with near-Earth objects (NEOs) such as asteroids and comets.’ The scale is a standard 0-10 scale, with 0 being a negligible chance of impact, and 10 being a certain chance of impact with massive global implications upon impact.
NASA believes that 2007 VK184 will eventually be retracted to a warning level of 0, when more information is known. This will take time though, with further observations providing more detailed information on the asteroids trajectory, and Earth’s likelihood of intersecting with said trajectory.
By way of describing what could happen, if the asteroid were to impact Earth, it would be greater than the 1908 asteroid that hit Russia. The Tunguska event of 1908 on July 13, at approximately 7:40 a.m. The Tunguska event, however has been surrounded by mystery, considering the year and location – early 1900’s and Russia; ie, the middle of nowhere at a time when nobody knew anything anyway.
Needless to say, any impact by 2007 VK184 would cause substantial damage, leaving a two-kilometer-wide crater and wiping out life for 6,000 square kilometers. Any way you look at it, not a pretty outcome!
Joshua Hill, a Geek’s-Geek from Melbourne, Australia, Josh is an aspiring author with dreams of publishing his epic fantasy, currently in the works, sometime in the next 5 years. A techie, nerd, sci-fi nut and bookworm.
