NASA scientists have found an asteroid named 2024 YR4, which might collide with Earth in 2032, posing a 1-in-83 chance of impact. The asteroid, measuring around 130 to 300 feet across, is too small to threaten the extinction of humankind, but experts warn that it could cause massive destruction if it hits a major city. The impact would unleash an energy equivalent to 8 megatons of TNT-more than 500 times the power of the atomic bomb that obliterated Hiroshima, Japan.

According to NASA, the scientific analysis of a near-Earth asteroid, designated 2024 YR4, indicates it has a more than 1% chance of impacting Earth on December 22, 2032-which also means there is about a 99% chance this asteroid will not impact. Such initial analysis will change over time as more observations are gathered. Currently, no other known large asteroids have an impact probability above 1%.

Asteroid 2024 YR4 was first reported on December 27, 2024, to the Minor Planet Centre-the international clearinghouse for small-body positional measurements-by the NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System station in Chile. The asteroid, which is estimated to be about 130 to 300 feet wide, caught astronomers’ attention when it rose on the NASA automated Sentry risk list on December 31, 2024. The Sentry list includes any known near-Earth asteroids that have a non-zero probability of impacting Earth in the future.

There have been several objects in the past that have risen on the risk list and eventually dropped off as more data have come in. New observations may result in reassignment of this asteroid to 0 as more data come in.

Huge space rock 2024 XN1, which is also dubbed as the ‘Christmas Eve asteroid’ and is the size of an aeroplane, will skim past Earth at 14,743 mph on 24 December, NASA Asteroid Watch dashboard has confirmed. The asteroid will make its closest approach at 02:56 am GMT on December 24. Measuring between 95 to 230 feet in diameter, scientists estimate that the asteroid carries a potential destructive force equivalent to 12 million tonnes of TNT.

Asteroid 2024 XN1 is the largest of the next five asteroids that will make close approaches to Earth. This massive space rock, measuring around 120 feet in diameter, is being closely monitored by NASA’s Asteroid Watch dashboard, which tracks asteroids and comets making relatively close passes by our planet.

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Although it is classified as a “near miss” in astronomical terms, experts assure that there is no risk of collision. The asteroid is expected to safely pass at a distance of approximately 4.48 million miles (7.21 million kilometers) from Earth-about 18 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon.

The asteroid was only first discovered on December 12 by NASA and the planetary defense systems of the European Space Agency. After taking its orbit into account, they labeled it a close approach, meaning it passed within 4.65 million miles or 7.5 million kilometers. While the asteroid poses no danger, its fly-by is an example of importance of ongoing efforts to observe near-Earth objects.

The Asteroid Watch dashboard provides details about each object’s closest approach, including the date, size, and distance from Earth. By hovering over each asteroid’s encounter date, users can see more information about its size and proximity to Earth.

While 2024 XN1 is the biggest of the upcoming asteroids, scientists assure that none of these objects pose any threat to Earth. The dashboard helps keep the public informed and highlights the importance of monitoring space rocks for potential future risks.

Scientists are closely monitoring asteroid 2024 XN1, scheduled to pass Earth on December 24. The asteroid measures approximately 120 feet and passes 4,480,000 miles away; that is 16 times the distance of the Moon and Earth. Moving at a great speed of 14,743 miles per hour. This event is a “near miss,” say the scientists, who add that there is no danger at all to Earth in terms of the flyby. But asteroids like 2024 XN1 are important in understanding how the early solar system came to be. NASA is keeping a close eye on the asteroid, using state-of-the-art tracking technology to understand the path of this asteroid. This asteroid has no possibility of posing a threat, but its passage reminds everyone of the importance of continuing with planetary defense efforts.

Asteroid 2024 XN1 is the largest of the next five asteroids that will make close approaches to Earth. This massive space rock, measuring around 120 feet in diameter, is being closely monitored by NASA’s Asteroid Watch dashboard, which tracks asteroids and comets making relatively close passes by our planet. 

The Asteroid Watch dashboard provides details about each object’s closest approach, including the date, size, and distance from Earth. By hovering over each asteroid’s encounter date, users can see more information about its size and proximity to Earth.

While 2024 XN1 is the biggest of the upcoming asteroids, scientists assure that none of these objects pose any threat to Earth. The dashboard helps keep the public informed and highlights the importance of monitoring space rocks for potential future risks.