Giant 196-foot-wide killer asteroid could strike Earth in 2032, experts warn
A giant space rock is on a potential collision course with Earth in 2032.
Dubbed 2024 YR4, this asteroid poses a small but concerning threat to Earth. It is estimated to be 196 feet (60 meters) wide, roughly half the length of a football field.
Space.com reported that this near-Earth object (NEO) has a "1 in 83" chance of hitting our planet on December 22, 2032. This asteroid presents one of the highest risks of impact ever observed for an object of this size.
According to NASA's Center of NEO Studies (CNEOS), the asteroid is projected to fly within 66,000 miles (106,200 kilometers) of Earth on this date. It is currently located 27 million miles away from Earth.
https://twitter.com/tony873004/status/1884065200569278466
The asteroid 2024 YR4 was first spotted by telescopes in Rio Hurtado, Chile, under the ATLAS project.
Despite the initial estimate of a close approach, uncertainties remain in the asteroid's orbital path. These uncertainties raise the possibility that the calculated close encounter could, in fact, result in a direct impact on Earth.
Due to its collision risk, the asteroid 2024 YR4 has been elevated to the top of both the European Space Agency's and NASA's impact risk lists.
The asteroid has been assigned a rating of three on the Torino risk scale. This rating signifies a close encounter that demands active monitoring by astronomers due to its greater than 1% chance of a potential impact.
However, astronomers are urging people not to worry yet.
'Impact probability is still very low, and the most likely outcome will be a close approaching rock that misses us," David Rankin, Catalina Sky Survey engineer and asteroid hunter, told Space.com.
Rankin suggests that asteroid 2024 YR4 is likely comparable in size to the objects responsible for the 1908 Tunguska event and the Meteor Crater.
If it does hit Earth, it could potentially cause a powerful explosion high in the atmosphere, known as an "airburst." In addition, it could create a large crater upon impact with the ground.
The impact effects are anticipated to be more localized than widespread.
Reportedly, the current predicted impact zone, or "risk corridor," extends from South America across the Atlantic Ocean and reaches South Africa.
Experts highlight that the asteroid's orbit is still poorly understood, making a definitive prediction of impact impossible. The current impact probability is low, and a miss is the most likely scenario.
"This impact corridor estimation will eventually go stale with new observations and better orbit calculations," he informed Space.com.
The potential damage is highly dependent on the asteroid's characteristics, like size and composition. However, these remain uncertain at the moment due to the asteroid's current trajectory. Radar observations, the most effective method for size estimation, are currently impossible.
Astronomers anticipate an opportunity to better estimate the asteroid's characteristics in 2028. Around this time, the asteroid is expected to make a closer, less risky approach to Earth, passing within roughly 5 million miles (8 million kilometers).
For now, astronomers are keeping a close eye on the 2024 YR4 asteroid.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
28 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Space: Record-Breaking Cosmic Discovery Challenges Long-Standing Physics
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Astronomers have smashed the record for the largest-known cloud of energetic particles discovered surrounding a galactic cluster—and the find could shake up established physics. The cluster in question, which has the catchy name of "PLCK G287.0+32.9," lies some 5 billion light-years from Earth. The cloud around it is nearly a whopping 20 million light-years across—about 20 times the diameter of our Milky Way galaxy—beating the previous record holder, seen around cluster Abell 2255, which spanned only 16.3 million light-years. PLCK G287.0+32.9 was first spotted in 2011, with studies revealing that the cluster's edges were lit up by two giant shockwaves. The study was led by astronomer Kamlesh Rajpurohit of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "We expected a bright pair of relics at the cluster's edges, which would have matched prior observations, but instead we found the whole cluster glowing in radio light," Rajpurohit said in a statement. She added: "A cloud of energetic particles this large has never been observed in this galaxy cluster or any other." In addition, when the team peered deep into the cluster's central region, they also detected a radio halo some 11.4 million light-years across—the first of this size seen at the 2.4 gigahertz frequency, at which such large halos are not normally visible. A composite, false color image of the galaxy cluster PLCK G287.0+32.9. A composite, false color image of the galaxy cluster PLCK G287.0+32.9. X-ray: NASA/CXC/CfA/K. Rajpurohit et al.; Optical: PanSTARRS; Radio: SARAO/MeerKAT; Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/N. Wolk "Very extended radio hales are mostly only visible at lower frequencies because the electrons that produce them have lost energy—they're old and have cooled over time," explained Rajpurohit. "With the discovery of this enormous halo, we are now seeing radio emission extending all the way between the giant shocks and beyond, filling the entire cluster. "That suggests something is actively accelerating or reaccelerating the electrons, but none of the usual suspects apply. "We think that giant shockwaves or turbulence could be responsible, but we need more theoretical models to find a definitive answer." In the cluster's center, the team explained, this activity could be the result of the merger of two smaller galactic clusters, outbursts from a supermassive black hole, or both combined. According to the researchers, the discovery provides us with a new means to examine cosmic magnetic fields—and could help astrophysicists unpick how magnetism shapes the universe on the biggest of scales. "We're starting to see the universe in ways we never could before," said Rajpurohit. "That means rethinking how energy and matter move through its largest structures." The full findings of the study were presented on Monday at the 246th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, which is being held in Anchorage, Alaska, from 8–12 June. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about astronomy? Let us know via science@ Reference Rajpurohit, K., Botteon, A., O'Sullivan, E., Forman, W., Balboni, M., Bruno, L., van Weeren, R. J., Hoeft, M., Brunetti, G., Jones, C., Rajpurohit, A. S., & Sikhosana, S. P. (2025). Radial Profiles of Radio Halos in Massive Galaxy Clusters: Diffuse Giants Over 2 Mpc. arXiv.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
June's full moon will be 14% smaller. Here's why and when to see it in Florida
June's full moon is nearly upon us, but skygazers might notice something slightly different about the 2025 strawberry moon. The full moon in June 2025 will make its debut about 14% smaller and 30% dimmer than it typically is because the moon will be in apogee, its farthest point from Earth. You might hear some people refer to this strawberry moon as a 'micromoon,' similar to how it's called a 'supermoon' when in perigee, or the closest point to Earth. NASA says that the strawberry moon will hit its peak around 2:44 a.m. CT on Wednesday, but your best bet to see the moon at its fullest will likely be Tuesday night. The strawberry moon will peak at 2:44 a.m. CT/3:44 a.m. ET on Wednesday in Florida. The best time to view the full moon will be on Tuesday night, according to NASA. The moon's orbit will be in apogee when it reaches its fullest phase early Wednesday morning. Apogee describes the moon's orbit when it is at its farthest point from Earth. During apogee, a full moon is often called a "micromoon" because it will appear smaller than it normally does. The difference isn't likely to be noticed by most people, however. The nicknames used to describe full moons have origins that can be traced back to Native American, Colonial American and European sources, according to the Farmer's Almanac. June's strawberry moon might give people the impression that it will rise with a reddish-pink hue, similar to a blood moon, but the nickname is a bit more literal than that. According to the Farmer's Almanac, the strawberry moon nickname has been used by Native American Algonquian, along with the Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota peoples, to mark a time when strawberries are ready to be picked. The strawberry moon nickname might have prevailed as the most popular in recent times, but it's certainly not the only name given to June's full moon. The Anishinaabe people called it the blooming moon due to the flowering season; the Cherokee tribe referred to it as the green corn moon and the Western Abenaki used the name hoer moon, which suggested that it was time to tend to young crops, according to the almanac. The moon takes about 29½ days to revolve around Earth, which is called a lunar cycle, according to the Lunar and Planetary Institute. As the moon moves through its various stages, it experiences several phases of partial light. These range from a banana-shaped crescent moon, a D-shaped quarter moon and a nearly full gibbous moon. There are seven full moons remaining this year; three will be supermoons. SOURCE NASA, The Old Farmer's Almanac, University of Arizona, Lunar & Planetary Laboratory, USA TODAY Network and USA TODAY research. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: June's strawberry full moon will be smaller than normal. Here's why
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
When to see the 'strawberry moon' in the night sky and how to get the best view
Skywatchers across North America will get a glimpse of the year's strawberry moon on the morning of June 11 — though the full moon will appear slightly smaller and dimmer than usual. According to NASA, the moon will reach peak fullness at 3:44 a.m. Eastern time. However, the best time to view it will be the evening of June 10, when the moon rises near sunset. Despite its name, the strawberry moon will shine a soft golden hue, not red, if weather permits. This year's strawberry moon is classified as a 'micromoon,' meaning it occurs when the moon is near its apogee — the farthest point in its orbit from Earth. As a result, it will appear about 14% smaller and 30% dimmer than a typical full moon. The June full moon marks the last of the season before the summer solstice on June 20, officially signaling the end of spring. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, this year's moon will also follow its lowest arc across the sky since 2006 — a result of the moon entering a major lunar standstill, an astronomical phenomenon that occurs every 18.6 years. The term 'Strawberry Moon' originates from the Algonquian tribes, including the Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota peoples, who associated the moon with the short harvest season of wild strawberries in June. In Bergen County, New Jersey, the moon will rise at 9:25 p.m. in the southeast on June 10 and will reach its highest point — just 20 degrees above the horizon — at 12:48 a.m. It will set in the southwest at 5:07 a.m. on June 11, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. The moon will be 100% illuminated. To catch the best view, experts recommend finding a location with a clear, unobstructed view of the southeastern horizon. Viewers can check local moonrise times by searching their ZIP code using online tools from The Old Farmer's Almanac. While the moon may not shine as brightly as some previous full moons, its low path across the sky and seasonal significance make it a notable sight for stargazers and photographers alike. This article originally appeared on Strawberry moon to shine in night sky this June. How to see it
