Watch Out! ‘City-Killer’ Asteroid Zooms Past Earth — Scientists Alert on Potential Impacts

Scientists are on alert about an asteroid named Y4, which has the potential to cause a massive explosion—much stronger than an atomic bomb. This space rock is about the size of a football field, measuring between 130 and 300 feet wide, and the chances of it hitting Earth are becoming concerning.

Bruce Betts, chief scientist at The Planetary Society, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that if Y4 impacted a major city like Paris, London, or New York, it could devastate the area.

Y4 was first spotted on December 27, 2024, from the El Sauce Observatory in Chile. Its risk level has been increasing, prompting the International Asteroid Warning Network to issue a memo about its potential threat.

According to Kelly Fast, NASA’s acting planetary defense officer, this asteroid has shown the potential for a long-term observation. As of now, the likelihood of Y4 impacting Earth is estimated at 1.6%. It’s moving towards us and is expected to come closest on December 22, 2032.

Possible landing zones for this asteroid include the eastern Pacific Ocean, northern South America, the Atlantic Ocean, parts of Africa, the Arabian Sea, and South Asia.

NASA remains optimistic after the success of its 2022 DART mission, which demonstrated the ability to redirect asteroids. Fast reassured the public, saying there’s no need for fear. The agency is confident in its ability to track these space threats and devise plans accordingly.

At this moment, Y4 is cruising away and won’t return until 2028. As Betts noted, the odds of it hitting Earth are likely to decrease significantly over the next few years. For now, scientists are keeping a close watch on Y4, gathering as much data as possible.