Scientists at the Near Earth Object Program at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory believe a newly discovered asteroid has a 1 in 75 chance of hitting Mars on January 30, 2008.
Astronomer Steve Chesley said,"These odds are extremely unusual. We frequently work with really long odds when we track ... threatening asteroids. We know that it's going to fly by Mars and most likely going to miss, but there's a possibility of an impact"
Halfway between Earth and Mars, the asteroid, known as 2007 WD5, was discovered in late November and initially estimated to have a 1 in 350 chance of making impact. However, as new observations were made, the odds increased and scientists expect them to grow even more next month.
2007 WD5 is similar in size to the object believed to have impacted the Tunguska River in Siberia in 1908, devastating a huge area of land. The Tunguska blast unleashed equivalent energy to a 15-megaton nuclear bomb, wiping out over 60 million trees. An impact by 2007 WD5 could create a crater on Mars roughly equal to the size of one in Arizona known as "Meteor Crater."
If a Mars impact does occur, it will most likely be near the equator, an area that the robotic rover, Opportunity, has been exploring. The rover, itself, is not in any danger because it is outside of the possible impact area.
Chesley says, "Unlike an Earth impact, we're not afraid, but we're excited."
Astronomer Steve Chesley said,"These odds are extremely unusual. We frequently work with really long odds when we track ... threatening asteroids. We know that it's going to fly by Mars and most likely going to miss, but there's a possibility of an impact"
Halfway between Earth and Mars, the asteroid, known as 2007 WD5, was discovered in late November and initially estimated to have a 1 in 350 chance of making impact. However, as new observations were made, the odds increased and scientists expect them to grow even more next month.
2007 WD5 is similar in size to the object believed to have impacted the Tunguska River in Siberia in 1908, devastating a huge area of land. The Tunguska blast unleashed equivalent energy to a 15-megaton nuclear bomb, wiping out over 60 million trees. An impact by 2007 WD5 could create a crater on Mars roughly equal to the size of one in Arizona known as "Meteor Crater."
If a Mars impact does occur, it will most likely be near the equator, an area that the robotic rover, Opportunity, has been exploring. The rover, itself, is not in any danger because it is outside of the possible impact area.
Chesley says, "Unlike an Earth impact, we're not afraid, but we're excited."
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