Good News: Scientists Assure Asteroid 2024 YR4 Poses No Threat to Earth!

Scientists have officially given Earth a clean bill of health regarding a newly discovered asteroid. The asteroid, named 2024 YR4, has been under close observation for the past two months, and both NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have now almost totally ruled out any risk of it colliding with our planet.

Initially, there was a 3% chance the asteroid could hit Earth in 2032, making it a top concern on asteroid-risk lists. However, the ESA has since reduced that likelihood to just 0.001%, while NASA has it slightly higher at 0.0017%. This means 2024 YR4 will safely pass Earth in 2032 and is unlikely to pose any threat for at least the next 100 years.

Paul Chodas, who heads NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies, reassured everyone that the chances of a collision are unlikely to increase. “That’s the outcome we expected all along,” he said in an email.

There’s still a slight chance—about 1.7%—that the asteroid could impact the moon on December 22, 2032, but Chodas expects that this chance will also decrease as more observations are made.

The world’s telescopes will keep tracking 2024 YR4 as it moves away from Earth. Next month, the James Webb Space Telescope will focus on it to get more details about its size. In a couple of months, the asteroid is expected to become too faint to see.

Discovered last December, 2024 YR4 measures between 130 and 300 feet (40 to 90 meters) across and makes a close approach to Earth every four years. NASA noted that although this asteroid does not pose a serious risk, studying it has provided valuable insights.