1143 Odysseus

The asteroid 1143 Odysseus was named after the Greek hero Odysseus Laertiades in Homer's epic novel The Odyssey. The asteroid was discovered by Karl Wilhelm Reinmuth in 1907. It orbits in the 4th Lagrangian point of the Sun/Jupiter system which has been nicknamed the Greek Camp. Due in to part that the majority of the asteroids orbiting in the 4th Lagrangian points are named after mythical Greek warriors in the Trojan War. 1143 Odysseus is an extremely massive (10km/6mi) D-type asteroid with a dark burgundy hue, it consists of organic rich silicates and carbon. The asteroid has perturbed many astronomers due its chronic orbital deviation from the L4 point. Astronomers have confirmed that 1143 Odysseus's current orbit is degrading at an exponetial rate. Currently it is beyond the gravitionally neutral L4 point, and is steadily careening towards the inner solar system at a rate 1275.00 km/s. Astronomers are expecting the speed of the 1143 Odysseus to increase due to the gravitational pull of the Sun. From current computer simulations of 1143 Odysseus path and the position of Earth in the near future, renowned astronomers have calculated that the asteroid will collide with Earth. The collision has been calculated to occur in the next five to fifteen years. Astronomers are hoping that 1143 Odysseus will collide with asteroids in the asteroid belt causing it to change path. However due to its mass and momentum collisions from other asteroids are likely to cause a large swath of chunks of broken asteroids or a large asteroid followed by a swath of broken asteroids to continue their path to Earth due to inertia. Experts have calculated that the collision of 1143 Odysseus will release 6.0x1023 joules of energy on impact. 1143 Odysseus is also expected to occult a star. However it is only observable in the Southern Hemisphere