When did the last asteriod hit Earth?

Question

I want to know when the last asteriod hit Earth.

Answer 1

As you might have guessed from the previous responses, asteroidal debris constantly falls to earth. However, I'm pretty sure you meant to ask "When was the last Asteroid Impact event?"

People are fascinated by big bangs :)

I did a little searching and found some info you might enjoy reading...

Here are some recent Impact Events, in no particular order...

The Rio Cuarto craters, produced by an asteroid striking Earth at a very low angle, it is believed they are about 10,000 years old
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Cuarto_craters

The Wabar craters, which apparently formed within the past few hundred years (could have been as recent as 1890 or could have been a few thousand years ago... they still haven't decided :))
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabar_craters

The Noerdlinger Ries, a 24-km crater in Central Europe, formed about 15 million years ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noerdlinger_Ries

The 1908 Tunguska event - believed to be the result of an airburst explosion of an incoming meteor/asteroid or comet fragment
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event

Meteor crater AZ - also called Barringer Crater, the first crater to be proven the result of an impact, formed about 50,000 years ago.
http://www.barringercrater.com/

You might also enjoy this game (from the above site)
http://www.barringercrater.com/game/
This 3D Impact simulation game lets you choose the size and target for a meteor headed straight toward earth

Then there is the famous event on November 30, 1954 where a meteor hit a house in Alabama and bounced off some furniture to end up on a woman's lap :)
http://www.fieldstudy.com/Classes/A100/Meteors/AlabamaMeteor.htm

For some additional reading, you might want to check out this link: http://www.armageddononline.org/content/view/48/49/
About two thirds of the way down, look for the section titled: Modern impact events

So, the answer depends upon your meaning of "last asteroid"... did you simply mean when did the last piece of asteroidal debris hit the Earth's atmosphere (probably within minutes of you writing the question) or did you mean when did the last asteroid make its presence known by an airburst explosion or impact crater.... I hope the above info helps answer those questions for you :)

Answer 2

John T has an excellant answer so I give him a thumbs up. Which means since I cant better an answer, it is time once again for.......

Logic's Logic

Space debris floats around space always, and from various sources Each and every day some form of this debris enters our atmosphere and heads for an impact with the ground. Most of them are tiny and burn up long before impact. Some do hit the ground. John T has listed a lot of these. Sometimes they explode while still in the air, called a "bolide".

Can you find the Barringer crater in Google Earth?

Answer 3

serious answer:

In 1908, something from space exploded over a remote area of Siberia. It is generally thought that it was a fragment of a comet, maybe about 50 meters wide. However, it knocked down 2000 sq kms of forest, and would have been devastating had it exploded over an urban area.

Also, there is some evidence coming to light that about 12,000 years ago (recent in geological terms), a larger asteroid came down in North America and was instrumental in wiping out the huge animals that lived at that time - Mammoth, Mastodon and so on.

If you would like more information on that, contact me through my profile.

Just bear in mind that the commonest asteroids are fairly small, the Earth is a big place and in spite of the number of people on this planet, 90% is ocean, desert, wilderness, or ice.

So, relax.

Answer 4

There was one that hit Siberia in 18th or 19th century. Given a 22 years short time, no technology can be developed to deflect it. Did you see the picture of Shoemaker Asteroids hitting Jupiter 4 times? It is not a matter of what people think.

Answer 5

Probably a few seconds ago except it was so small, no one noticed.

Answer 6

42 seconds ago

Answer 7

my liddle brudder got back from the scouts outing,bout three hours ago

Answer 8

probably this week.