The possibility of “killing city” asteroid 2024 YR4 Hitting the earth has doubled in recent weeks, just like something in a science fiction film.
The asteroid, large enough to destroy an entire city, is now more likely to crash into our original planet in 2032, According to NASA.
In a new update, the space agency has increased the chances of asteroids 2024 years collision with the earth, with the probability of impact going to 3.1% or an impact density on 32 – the probability higher of a collision to date.
This is the highest risk assessment that an asteroid has ever received, after the 2.7% of Apophis in 2004.
February 7, NASA experts had increased the chances A chance in 43, but the probability continues to increase.
NASA said on Monday that there was 2.6% of the asteroid to hit the earth in 2032 with a risk of impact on one on 38 – the same chances that appear on a roulette.
Scientists have already said that this did not maintain them at night and that no one should panic, although he could not exclude the possibility of an impact.
At the end of January, the European Space Agency (ESA) gave the asteroid a 1.3% chance of hitting the earth December 22, 2032.
The asteroid is between 40 and 90 meters wide, based on the estimates of its reflected light.
“An asteroid of this size has an impact on the earth on average every thousands of years and could cause serious damage In a local region, “said ESA in a spatial security briefing. “Consequently, the object has reached the top of the list of ASA asteroid risks.”
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Although experts are not sure where the collision would occur, a warning published at the end of January by the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) said that the Corridor of risk of impact extends “through the eastern peaceful ocean, northern South America, the Atlantic Ocean, Africa, the sea of Oman and South Asia.”
If he struck the earth, 2024 YR4 would cause “Damage to serious explosion”, According to IAWN, extending up to 50 kilometers from the impact site.
In January, YR4 received a level 3 out of 10 rating On the risk scale of Torino’s impact, which means that a close meeting with the asteroid was “deserving the attention of astronomers”, according to the Center for Near Earth Studies de la NASA (CNEO). A collision with the earth is only certain when an object reaches a note of 8, 9 or 10, with higher notes indicating more damage likely to be caused.
According to at ESANASA and other space agencies will use the James Webb space telescope to continue to obtain an even more precise assessment of the size of the asteroid in order to better understand “how important an impact”.
“It is very important to improve our size estimate for 2024 years: the danger represented by a 40 m asteroid is very different from that of an asteroid of 90 m,” said the report.
An asteroid of similar size entered the earth’s atmosphere in February 2013 when The sky early in the morning was set on fire in Chelyabinsk, Russia.
A ball of fire has been captured on many dashboard cameras, traffic cameras and security cameras in the region, making it the most documented meteor in history.
Chelyabinsk meteor burns on Russia.
The Canadian Press / AP Photo / Chelyabinsk.ru, Yekaterina Pustynnikoa
The space rock was estimated at 17 meters in diameter and weighed around 10,000 tonnes before entering our atmosphere at 65,000 km / h. About 500 kilotons of energy have been released.
As the rock pushed the air in front of it, it exploded about 23 kilometers above the atmosphere. More than 1,000 people were injured while the explosion broke the windows.
Months later, the search for NASA revealed that the plume of debris of the explosion of meteors in the atmosphere surrounded the globe in just four days.
Part of the meteorite (once it reaches the floor, it is called a meteorite and not a meteor) recovered from a Russian lake in October 2013.
–With Global News ‘Files’ Michelle Butterfield
& Copy 2025 Global News, A Division of Corus Entertainment Inc.