
Astronomers have discovered a 196-foot-wide asteroid named 2024 YR4. The asteroid, which is currently 27 million miles away, has a one-in-83 chance of hitting Earth in December 2032. NASA’s ATLAS project spotted it in Chile and later confirmed it by the Cataline Sky Survey.
NASA’s Centre of Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) reported that asteroid 2024 YR4 will pass extremely close to Earth on December 22, 2032, at around 66,000 miles.
However, due to orbital uncertainties, there is a small chance that it could collide with Earth. If it does, an airburst explosion in the atmosphere or an impact crater on the ground could occur.
Where could Asteroid 2024 YR4 hit Earth?
Currently, 2024 YR4 ranks at level 3 on the Torino impact scale, meaning it warrants close monitoring by scientists. The risk zone for impact stretches from South America to South Africa, but astronomers highlighted that more data is needed to confirm the asteroid’s exact path.
Catalina Sky Survey's engineer David Rankin assured the public that there is no need to panic. He explained that by 2028, when 2024 YR4 makes another close pass at five million miles, astronomers will have a clearer idea of its size, composition, and whether it poses a real danger.
Moreover, if an impact occurs, it could be similar to the 1908 Tunguska event, which flattened 80 million trees over 830 square miles. Scientists worldwide are tracking 2024 YR4 closely to determine if Earth is at risk in 2032.