An asteroid, 2024 YR4, is raising alarms due to its potential to collide with Earth in 2032. Despite a 98 to 99 percent chance it will miss, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are keeping a close watch on the object. Spotted by a telescope in Chile last month, the asteroid measures between 40 and 100 meters and is traveling at 15 times the speed of a bullet. The risk of impact is currently low, with NASA putting the probability at 1.9%, but scientists are closely monitoring the situation.
The asteroid, which passed closest to Earth on Christmas Day, will not pose a threat for the immediate future. However, as the probability fluctuates, the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) has issued its first-ever Potential Asteroid Impact Notification, marking the event as noteworthy. The asteroid will return to Earth’s vicinity in 2028, with a potential impact on December 22, 2032.
While the event does not pose an immediate crisis, astronomers will continue monitoring the asteroid with powerful telescopes to refine their predictions. The situation has led to discussions about possible mitigation measures, such as spacecraft deflection, should the asteroid’s threat increase. This unusual occurrence is a reminder of the constant need for planetary defense efforts, although experts reassure that the odds of an impact remain extremely low.
Source: Swifteradio.com
