Scientists are closely monitoring the newly discovered asteroid that may strike Earth in 2032 (Image: Getty Image)
Scientists are closely monitoring the newly discovered that may strike Earth in 2032.
Detected on December 27, 2024, the , say astronomers, is sized to be between 40 and 90 meters across.
If it were to collide with Earth, it would release energy comparable to a nuclear bomb, causing severe damage, especially in populated areas.
According to the European Agency (ESA), the asteroid, which is equivalent to the size of a football pitch, is currently at a distance of around 27 million miles from the planet and moving away.
However, its path will cross the Earth’s orbit on December 22, 2032. Once it disappears, it won’t come back into view until 2028.
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It is believed that the asteroid has an almost 99% chance of safely passing Earth on that date, but a possible impact “cannot yet be entirely ruled out”, as per the experts.
Last week, the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) issued a Potential Impact Warning Notification over 2024 YR4.
Astronomers believe that YR4 may approach Earth within 66,000 miles. However, given the unpredictability of orbits, says it could be a direct hit.
According to the network’s estimates, impact locations include the eastern Pacific, northern South America, Africa, and south Asia, reports .
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The Space Mission Planning Advisory Group, which is chaired by ESA, will discuss the latest observations of the asteroid at a meeting in Vienna in the coming days.
According to the agency, if the impact risk is confirmed it will make official recommendations to the United Nations and work may begin on options for a “spacecraft-based response to the potential hazard”.
Dr Simeon Barber, a space scientist at the Open University, told : “We shouldn’t be overly worried – at least not just yet. That’s because our early detection systems quite often overestimate the likelihood of an impact with Earth.
“In the early stages, we can’t determine its trajectory very accurately, and so the probability of impact has to take into account this uncertainty.
“It’s likely that as our technologies for detecting Earth-bound objects improve, we may see an increasing number of alerts such as this.
“It’s important that we find the right balance between treating the threat seriously, but not over-reacting in these early stages of discovery when the trajectory is still not well-defined.”