Constantly present near Earth, asteroids are often overlooked, but there is a real possibility of one actually colliding with our planet. Currently, NASA is engaged in the meticulous study of an asteroid named Bennu, which carries a 1 in 2,700 chance of impacting Earth sometime between 2175 & 2195. In order to understand this comprehensively, the OS IRIS-REx spacecraft is embarking on a 2-year mission to investigate Bennu, collecting a sample of asteroid material from its surface and returning it to Earth. This ambitious endeavor also involves studying how the absorption and re-radiation of sunlight by Bennu affect its orbit, … Continue reading 170-Foot Asteroid Named Bennu Speeding Towards Earth: Close Encounter