A recently identified asteroid has caught the attention of space agency officials due to its slim chance of colliding with Earth in 2032. The asteroid, named 2024 YR4, was first detected by a telescope in Chile last month and is estimated to be between 130 to 330 feet (40 to 100 meters) in size.
Despite the initial concern, scientists have calculated the odds of a potential impact to be slightly over 1%. NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies director emphasized that there is a 99% likelihood that the asteroid will miss Earth, providing reassurance to the public.
Currently, the asteroid is moving away from Earth, and experts are closely monitoring its trajectory. As more data is gathered, there is optimism that the risk of impact could diminish to zero. The asteroid is expected to become less visible in the coming months but will reappear in 2028 during its next approach towards Earth.
On Christmas Day, the asteroid passed within approximately 500,000 miles (800,000 kilometers) of Earth, marking its closest approach. The discovery was made two days later, prompting a review of sky surveys from 2016 to further analyze its potential impact.
While the asteroid poses a low risk, the European Space Agency highlights the importance of monitoring such celestial bodies due to the potential for significant damage if a collision were to occur. The projected impact date is set for December 22, 2032, with the exact location of impact remaining uncertain at this time.
Despite this development, NASA confirms that no other large asteroids currently pose a significant threat to Earth, providing some relief in the realm of space hazards.
