NASA declared an expansive 2.5 km-wide rock was barrelling towards Earth with a “low probability of impact” in early 2019. The space agency calculated the space debris – dubbed 2002 NT7 – was speeding toward us at 60,000mph. And NASA scientists even supplied estimations for the potential impact, announcing an unlikely collision could take place on February 1.
But NASA’s apocalyptic prediction was thankfully retracted after four days of fear-mongering, after the risk impact calculations were re-run.
We can now rule out an impact possibility for February 1, 2019
NASA scientist Dr Don Yeomans
The sinister space rock will harmlessly skim past our planet on January 13 at a harmless distance of almost 40 millions miles away – a distance further-flung than Mars.
Conspiracy theorists, however, remain unconvinced and instead have cried cover-up rather than accepting it was a simple recalculation.
The 2002 NT7 asteroid was amongst one the first asteroids to receive a “impact risk positive” rating.
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Asteroid 2002 NT7: A 2.5 km-wide rock was believed to be barrelling towards Earth (Image: Getty)
Asteroid 2002 NT7: NASA initially believed an impact was theoretically possible (Image: Getty)
This made a collision with Earth far more likely than winning the US lottery.
Scientists allowed such a long period to pass before announcing the recalculation in order to crunch impossibly complex numbers.
Yet despite this categorical denial about any impending impact, the internet remains abuzz about the asteroid - with articles and videos continuing to be published throughout 2018.
Conspiracy websites are among those accused the prestigious space agency of “changing its story” about the asteroid.
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