Photo: WAM
A new asteroid, coded ‘2024 YR24,’ has been discovered to have the highest chance of colliding with Earth, the Abu Dhabi-based International Astronomy Centre (IAC) announced.
It may pose “potential danger” when it passes by the planet in 2032, the experts said.
The asteroid was discovered last December 27 through the Atlas system telescopes. Its diameter is estimated to be between 40m and 100m, said Mohammed Shawkat Odeh, director of the IAC and member of the International Asteroid Warning Network.
At 40m, it meant its size could be twice as long as a cricket pitch. With a diameter of 100m, it can cover an entire football pitch.
The International Astronomy Centre (IAC) announced the discovery of a new asteroid, coded “2024 YR4”, which has the highest chance of colliding with Earth among other asteroids.
said that the asteroid was discovered on December 27 by the Atlas system telescopes, and that its diameter is estimated to be between 40 and 100 meters, noting that
Upon discovery, it was classified on the Torino scale for asteroids that may collide with Earth at a rate of 1.2 per cent — the highest classification so far, surpassing the asteroid Apophis, which was ruled out of the possibility of colliding with Earth.
Asteroid 2024 YR4 approached Earth on December 25, when it was at a distance of 829,000km. It is expected to pass by on December 17, 2028, again without posing a threat, but its third passage on December 22, 2032, may pose a potential danger, Odeh said.
He explained that the asteroid was observed for only 34 days, and that its current low brightness makes it a difficult target even for large telescopes, calling on astronomical observatories to focus on observing this asteroid urgently. However, the opportunity to observe it accurately will be better in 2028.
*本资料来自Khleej Times