By December 2032, the Earth may be threatened by the asteroid 2024 YR4. Initially worrisome forecasts have been updated with more precise calculations from the European Space Agency.
The potentially hazardous asteroid 2024 YR4 is slated to approach the Earth in December 2032. However, the likelihood of a collision has been reassessed. According to NASA's calculations, the risk of impact was previously at 3.1%, which is equivalent to a level 3 danger on a scale of 0 to 10. The European Space Agency was able to revise its assessment following new observations from telescopes. After recalculating the asteroid's orbit, the risk of impact is now estimated at 0.001%. This development does not mean astronomers will stop monitoring it, especially when it returns to our vicinity in 2028. This new assessment should, hopefully, confirm that YR4 will safely pass by the Earth in 2032.
The Moon, a Luminous Landscape - (MH with Olivier Duquesne – Source: Le Soir – Picture: ESA Science Office)
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