Asteroid 2024 YR4 was initially believed to have a 3.1% chance of colliding with Earth in 2032, causing concern among astronomers and the public. However, overnight, the risk level decreased to 1.5%, and further dropped to almost zero. This decrease in risk was due to updated calculations by NASA and the European Space Agency, which found that the asteroid’s probability of impact was now minimal.
Despite being ruled out as a threat, astronomers will continue to monitor asteroid 2024 YR4 until it is no longer visible from Earth in April. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will study the asteroid in March from orbit, providing valuable data for future planetary defense strategies. Additionally, the European Space Agency is sending a craft to study the remnants of another asteroid.
Efforts to protect Earth from potential asteroid impacts are ongoing, with projects like the NEO Surveyor telescope set to launch in 2027. This telescope aims to identify 90% of asteroids and comets larger than 460 feet that come within 30 million miles of Earth’s orbit. In the past, tests like NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test have shown that it is possible to nudge incoming objects away from Earth, demonstrating the potential for planetary defense measures in the future.
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