The asteroid in question – 2024 YR4 – is around 130 to 300 feet (40 – 90 meters) wide
NASA has just released a critical update on asteroid 2024 YR4, and it’s sparking concern across the globe.
If you’ve been following the latest in astronomy news, you’ve likely come across reports about a “city-destroying” asteroid on a potential collision course with Earth. First detected in December 2024 when it triggered automated asteroid warning systems, 2024 YR4 has been closely monitored ever since. NASA reveals that the space rock measures between 130 to 300 feet (40 to 90 meters) in diameter, and if it were to strike Earth, the impact would unleash an energy blast hundreds of times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb.
Initially, asteroid 2024 YR4 was given only a 1.2% chance of colliding with Earth in December 2032. However, that number quickly surged, doubling in a short time, leaving many concerned about the looming threat.
In a startling update just last week, the likelihood of a collision was raised to 3.2%, making 2024 YR4 the biggest Earth-bound danger NASA had ever tracked, surpassing even the infamous “God of Chaos” asteroid, 99942 Apophis. But hold on—NASA has since provided a major update, and the asteroid’s risk level has taken a dramatic turn.
On February 24, NASA released a new statement: “NASA has significantly lowered the risk of near-Earth asteroid 2024 YR4 as an impact threat to Earth for the foreseeable future.” The asteroid, initially deemed a potential threat for 2032, now poses no substantial risk for the next century.
Thanks to continued observations and refined calculations from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, experts have pinpointed 2024 YR4’s trajectory with far more accuracy. The asteroid’s path has now moved further away from Earth, significantly reducing the chance of a direct hit.
However, there remains a very small 1.7% chance that the asteroid could strike the Moon on December 22, 2032.
Phew! Looks like we can all breathe a little easier now.
With the latest update, asteroid 2024 YR4 has now been downgraded to NASA’s “normal” category on the Torino Scale, a stark contrast to its previous status of “meriting attention from astronomers” when its risk was over three percent.
According to NASA’s website, objects in Category 1 are classified as “routine discoveries” where a close pass near Earth is expected, but poses no unusual danger. The current calculations show that the chances of a collision are extremely unlikely, with no reason for public concern or alarm. In fact, future telescopic observations are highly likely to lead to the asteroid being reassigned to Level 0, which indicates no threat at all.
So, for now, it looks like 2024 YR4 can be safely crossed off our list of imminent dangers!
