Dangerous Space
This is the text version of the interactive 3D documentary. 한국어
Space objects that threaten Earth, ranked
From asteroids and solar storms to supernovae and black holes: 15 space objects that could threaten Earth, ranked by category, with how far away each one really is. Impact-threat rankings follow NASA/JPL Sentry.
Open the 3D documentaryImpact threats
How it’s ranked: Listed in the same order as NASA/JPL’s Sentry risk table (cumulative Palermo scale). Objects that have been removed from that table are shown separately as “retired threats.”
Asteroids and comets whose orbits cross Earth’s path. They are the only threat that could actually hit us, so they are watched more closely than anything else in the sky.
- #11950 DA240 million km from Earth
A possible impact in the year 2880 — the highest Palermo-scale rating on the entire risk table
View in 3D → - #2Bennu330 million km from Earth
A possible impact between 2178 and 2290 — the asteroid whose orbit we know best
View in 3D → - #32008 JL3200 million km from Earth
Seen briefly in 2008, then lost — the earliest possible impact year is 2027
View in 3D → - #41979 XB320 million km from Earth
Nobody has seen it since 1979 — very unlikely to hit, but big
View in 3D → - #52000 SG34479 million km from Earth
An Earth-like orbit — a fairly high chance for this list, but a small rock
View in 3D →
Retired threats
- –Apophis38,042 km from Earth
Passes closer than geostationary satellites in 2029 — no impact risk for at least 100 years
View in 3D → - –2024 YR4770 million km from Earth
Briefly a 3% impact chance in 2025 — ruled out for Earth within days
View in 3D →
The Sun
How it’s ranked: A threat with a recorded history of real damage.
The star that gives us life can also knock out our technology. Solar storms cause real damage every few years.
- #1The Sun150 million km from Earth
A huge solar storm could knock out power grids, satellites and communications
View in 3D →
Nearby stars
How it’s ranked: Editorial ranking: size of the event × how strongly it would reach Earth (distance) × how certain the timing is.
Supernovae and stars passing close by. They sound frightening, but distance decides almost everything.
- #1Gliese 710about 62 light-years from Earth
In about 1.3 million years it will pass the edge of the solar system and stir up comets
View in 3D → - #2IK Pegasiabout 150 light-years from Earth
The nearest candidate for a Type Ia supernova — but millions of years away
View in 3D → - #3Betelgeuseabout 550 light-years from Earth
It will explode as a supernova one day — but at a safe distance from Earth
View in 3D →
Extreme objects
How it’s ranked: Editorial ranking: the worst effect each could have on Earth. None of the four threatens Earth today.
Gamma-ray bursts, magnetars and black holes. How far away are the most violent objects in the universe?
- #1WR 104about 8,000 light-years from Earth
A gamma-ray burst candidate — the question is whether its jet points at Earth
View in 3D → - #2SGR 1806-20about 28,000 light-years from Earth
In 2004, a flash from tens of thousands of light-years away shook Earth’s upper atmosphere
View in 3D → - #3Eta Carinaeabout 7,500 light-years from Earth
A supernova (maybe hypernova) candidate — but far enough away
View in 3D → - #4Sagittarius A*about 26,000 light-years from Earth
The heaviest object in our galaxy — and at a very safe distance
View in 3D →
Impact-threat rankings and probabilities follow NASA/JPL’s Sentry risk table (as of 2026-11-04). The other categories are editorial rankings using the published criteria. Distances to stars can carry large uncertainties.