2007 VK184

2007 VK184 is an asteroid which is listed on the Near Earth Object Risk List with a rating on the Torino Scale of Level 1. As of 8 August 2008, it is the only near-earth object to be listed above Level 0 for potential impacts within 100 years. VK184 was discovered on November 12th 2007, by the Catalina Sky Survey.

Further observations between December 18th, 2007 and January 4th, 2008, suggested an increase in the impact probability to 1 in 2700 chance for an impact with Earth during June 2048. A few days later, the impact probability was reverted back to a 1 in 3030 chance.

According to the Near Earth Object-list, 99 observations over 52 days suggests the asteroid has a probability of 1 in 2700 chance to hit the Earth during June 2048. Those figures translate into a 0.037% chance to hit (or 99.963% to miss). The asteroid is estimated to have a diameter of 130 meters, and travels through space with a speed of 15.63 km/s relative to the Earth.

Asteroids with listing above 1 on the Torino Scale are rare and are, according to NEO, often downgraded to Level 0 after the initial observations.

References

• http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/2007vk184.html
• http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/lists/Dangerous.html