Asteroid 2024 YR4 was discovered on December 27 by a telescope in Chile and since then attracted the attention of astronomers in the United States and Europe. According to researchers from the European Space Agency (ECA), since the beginning of January, astronomers focused on subsequent observations using telescopes around the world, UPI writes.
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Scientists note that they use data to improve our understanding of the size and asteroid trajectory. Current estimates suggest that the asteroid width is about 100 meters, and its likely collision with the ground is expected to occur on December 22, 2032. However, the probability of such a collision is 1.3%. But this is one of the highest probabilities of a collision of an asteroid with the ground in the entire history of observation of space stones.
Currently, the asteroid is moving away from the Earth, but scientists plan to continue to monitor the giant space stone until it disappears. It is expected that 2024 YR4 will appear on telescopes again only in 2028 - then scientists will be able to get a more accurate forecast about whether it can really encounter the ground and if so, when it happens.
According to the planetary astronomer from Edinburgh University Colin Snodgrass, most likely, a huge space stone will fly past our planet without causing us. At the same time, researchers note that an asteroid of this size has been faced with land every several thousand years and in fact can cause quite serious damage to the region where it will fall.
Despite the meager chances of a clash, a huge asteroid still deserves a little greater attention of scientists with the help of telescopes. At least until they can confirm that the collision will not occur. The longer the researchers will monitor the orbit space stone, the more accurately the forecasts of its trajectory in the future will become in the future.
Previously, Focus wrote that signs of life were discovered in the asteroid fragment.