An artist’s impression of what an asteroid coming close to Earth may look like (Image: Getty )
the size of Buckingham Palace is increasingly likely to hit Earth in the next decade – but the chances are still very small.
NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are tracking the giant space rock, dubbed 2024 YR, as it hurtles through the cosmos at speeds of up to 55,000mph.
measures over 330 metres in diameter, making it around the same size of the King’s official London royal residence.
2024 YR was first detected in December last year when astronomers calculated it had around a 1% chance of hitting our planet. However, new estimates have risen as high as 2.3%, with NASA putting the figure at around 1.9%.
If the asteroid did strike Earth the resulting impact would cause a similar devastation as the explosion from a nuclear bomb.
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An artists impression from the European Space Agency of the 2024 YR4 asteroid (Image: ESA )
If the asteroid did take a course towards our planet it’s thought the date of the strike could be December 22, 2032, but it’s likely the projectile would land in the ocean or in a remote part of the world, the reports.
According , the speeding space rock ranks as level 3 on the 10-point Torino Impact Hazard Scale, which categorises the danger level of asteroids with a trajectory nearing Earth, with 0 being least threat and 10 being likely strike.
Level 3 to 5 asteroids are categorised as a yellow threat – meaning it is “meriting attention by astronomers” and will be a “close encounter”.
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An asteroid monitoring station in Australia (Image: Getty )
A statement from the European Space Agency (ESA) said: “Asteroid 2024 YR4 is estimated to likely be larger than 50 m and has an impact probability higher than 1% at a point in time within the next 50 years.
“It therefore meets all of the criteria necessary to activate the two UN-endorsed asteroid reaction groups: the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) and the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG).
“IAWN, chaired by NASA, is responsible for coordinating the international group of organisations involved in asteroid tracking and characterisation.
“If appropriate, IAWN would develop a strategy to assist world governments in the analysis of asteroid impact consequences and in the planning of any necessary mitigation responses.”