Astronomers have been keeping a close eye on an asteroid big enough to destroy a whole city.
As experts learn more about asteroid 2024 YR4’s trajectory, they’ve confirmed that the odds of impact are expected to rise slightly before it’s expected – and hoped – to drop to zero.
The process has begun to unfold since the asteroid was first spotted late last year on a potential collision course with Earth on Dec. 22, 2032. Initially, the odds of impact fluctuated around 1%, but in recent days, they surged to 2.3% — the highest probability in more than two decades since the discovery of Apophis in 2004.
Apophis initially had a small chance to hit Earth on Sept. 13, 2024, but did not.
How big is asteroid 2024 YR4?
The asteroid is between 130 and 300 feet long, USA TODAY reported.
Where could 2024 YR4 hit? Is Texas in its path?
The International Asteroid Warning Network put out a list of possible impact locations, which ranges from uninhabited or sparsely populated areas to densely populated areas in the eastern Pacific Ocean, northern South America, the Atlantic Ocean, parts of Africa, the Arabian Sea and South Asia.
North America was not among the possible impact locations.
Should people worry about the asteroid?
The chance is so low that astronomers are not yet concerned about YR4. Still, space agencies around the world will continue to monitor the asteroid to better calculate its trajectory.
