--- title: "It’s Unlikely, but a 164-Foot Asteroid May Hit Earth in September" description: "A massive 164-foot asteroid called 2006 QV89 has a one in 7,000 chance of bashing into the Earth on the morning of September 9, according to the ESA." date: "2019-06-07" modified: "2019-06-07" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/asteroid-hit-earth-september" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "asteroid" - "asteroid impact" - "ESA" - "NASA" - "the digest" --- # It’s Unlikely, but a 164-Foot Asteroid May Hit Earth in September ![A massive 164-foot asteroid called 2006 QV89 has a one in 7,000 chance of bashing into the Earth on the morning of September 9, according to the ESA.]() *\Image: ESA/Victor Tangermann\* ## Asteroid Impact Mark your calendars: a massive 164-foot asteroid called 2006 QV89 has a one in 7,000 chance of smashing into the Earth on the morning of September 9, [according to the European Space Agency]() (ESA). The giant space rock is one of 10 asteroids that make up ESA's "Risk List:" a ranking of objects "for which a non-zero impact probability has been detected," according to [its website]() — and, though the effects of an impact are unclear, it's reportedly twice the width of the asteroid that [blew out thousands of windows]() in Russia in 2013. ## Catastrophic Impact Yes, the chances are minimal, but space agencies like the ESA and NASA are actively preparing for the worst. Last month, ESA simulated what a potentially catastrophic asteroid impact could look like [on Twitter]() to help prepare us for a real emergency. Asteroid experts came together to simulate "a fictional but plausible imminent asteroid impact on Earth," as ESA's website [described it](). NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine reiterated the importance of tracking and studying asteroids and taking the risks of a possible asteroid hit more seriously. "These events are not rare; they happen," [Bridenstine said]() at the 2019 Planetary Defense Conference in April. ## Miles Away But chances of a September disaster are still minuscule. 2006 QV89 will most likely pass Earth millions of miles away later this year, according to the ESA. And if we survive — which, to be clear, is overwhelmingly likely — the next potential impact we could be looking forward to is the 52-foot asteroid 2009JF1 that has a 1 in 4,464 chance of hitting Earth in 2022. **READ MORE:** [An asteroid has a very tiny chance of hitting Earth this year]() \[*CNET*\] **More on asteroids:** *[Asteroid Flying by Earth Is so Big It Has Its Own Moon]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()