Will Asteroid 2004 BL86 Hit Earth?

In just a few days’ time, a large asteroid – known as 2004 BL86 – will hurtle past the Earth at incredible speeds, causing damage and destruction to everything in its path. Will the Earth fall victim to the runaway asteroid?

The good news is – no. The asteroid is set to pass the Earth at a reassuringly safe-sounding 745,000 miles, which is roughly three times the distance separating the Earth and the Moon. This means that although it poses no direct threat to life on Earth, we will be able to see the flying rock with the aid of binoculars or telescopes, and perhaps even learn more about it as it barrels past us.

Analysing From Afar

We already take advantage of the hundreds of tonnes of space dust and meteorite particles which fall to the Earth’s surface every day, in such minute amounts that no threat is posed. Careful study of such material allows us to understand these flying rocks a little better – and possibly to shed some light on the origins of our planet in the process. For more information on how these investigations can interpret the beginnings of the Earth, see the article: How to Analyse Space Dust.

Now, scientists are planning to capitalise upon the asteroid’s close passing of the Earth to send out as many microwaves as possible on a collision course with the rock. Their reverberations should help us to learn a little more about what the asteroid looks like, what its composition is made up of and how it came into being. As yet, these are all questions which we have no answers to.

“When we get our radar data back the day after the flyby, we will have the first detailed images,” commented Lance Benner, a radio astronomer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “At present, we know almost nothing about the asteroid, so there are bound to be surprises.”

More Knowledge is Needed

Although the asteroid is set to zip by safely – and is not expected to pass us again at similar proximity for another 200 years – it is imperative that we learn more about these flying rocks. Why?

Well, in the event that one such celestial body should be on a collision course with the Earth, we would be in quite the pickle. As yet, contingency plans are fairly non-existent – as admitted by NASA in 2013 when they claimed our best hope in the event of an impact was, quite simply, prayer. 

Worryingly, it is estimated that we are currently only aware of about 10% of potentially dangerous asteroids circulating in the space surrounding our planet. Clearly, a more prudent contingency plan than prayer is required to avoid disaster. However, this year will see the inauguration of Asteroid Day on the 30th June, and scientists have pledged to devote more energy and resources towards studying these gigantic intergalactic boulders in the coming decades.

Here’s hoping we can learn something from 2004 BL86 on the 26th January… other than a pretty light show in the sky.