A newly discovered asteroid, 2024 YR4, has been downgraded from a significant threat to Earth by scientists. After two months of observations, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have reduced the odds of an impact to 0.0017%. The asteroid is estimated to be between 130 feet and 300 feet across and swings towards Earth every four years.
The odds of an impact were initially as high as 3%, but scientists have since ruled out any threat for the next century. The ESA has lowered its probability to 0.001%, while NASA’s estimate stands at 0.0017%. Paul Chodas, head of NASA’s Center for Near Earth Objects Studies, confirmed that an impact in 2032 is no longer a concern.
However, there is still a small chance (1.7%) that the asteroid could hit the moon on December 22, 2032. The world’s telescopes will continue to track the asteroid as it moves away from Earth, with the upcoming Webb Space Telescope launch scheduled to provide more precise measurements in the coming months.
The discovery of 2024 YR4 has provided a valuable opportunity for scientists to study the asteroid and refine their understanding of near-Earth objects. Despite no longer posing a significant threat to Earth, the asteroid’s encounter remains an important event for scientific research.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/asteroid-2024-yr4-nasa-esa-cce39c01ab94ac1edae00024dc35169c