Astronomers have been observing an asteroid named 2024 YR4. This space rock was thought to have a chance of hitting Earth in 2032. But good news! NASA recently announced that the risk has nearly vanished. The probability of an impact is now almost zero.
“I was confident this would change as we gathered more information,” said Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “I was sleeping pretty well.”
Originally, in late December 2024, it seemed there was a 1 percent chance that 2024 YR4 could collide with our planet. This was the highest impact risk recorded by NASA for an asteroid of this size. The asteroid measures between 130 and 300 feet wide, which is large enough to cause serious damage if it were to strike Earth, potentially endangering major cities.
As scientists analyzed more data in January and February, they noticed the chances of impact increased, peaking at 3.1 percent last week. While this may sound low, it was noteworthy due to its historical significance. For large asteroids, it marked the highest impact probability ever noted by NASA.
Initial predictions about its path suggested it could threaten big cities like Mumbai, India, and Lagos, Nigeria. Fortunately, with the new data, the concern has greatly diminished.
This example underscores the importance of careful monitoring and data analysis in planetary defense. Astronomers and space agencies like NASA continuously track near-Earth objects to keep us informed and safe.
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Source linkAsteroids,National Aeronautics and Space Administration,Space and Astronomy,Telescopes and Observatories
