NASA captured asteroid capable of destroying major cities on Earth

Tengrinews.kz - NASA has released new images of an asteroid "capable of destroying major cities on Earth," citing the British tabloid Daily Mail.

NASA has also tracked a decrease in the probability of a dangerous asteroid colliding with Earth. The likelihood of asteroid 2024 YR4, discovered in December last year, impacting our planet on December 22, 2032, is now estimated at 1 in 67 (1.5%). This is significantly lower than the agency’s earlier forecast of 1 in 32 (3.1%) made earlier this week.

On social media platform X, NASA shared new ground-based telescope observations of the asteroid, which is estimated to be about 130–300 feet (40–90 meters) in diameter.

"New observations of asteroid 2024 YR4 helped us update its chance of impact in 2032. The current probability is 1.5%. Our understanding of the asteroid's path improves with every observation," the agency stated.

By April 2025, the object will be too distant to be detected by ground-based telescopes. Further observations will only be possible in 2028 when 2024 YR4 approaches Earth again and becomes bright enough for detection.

Astronomers previously identified the potentially hazardous asteroid 2024 YR4, which could collide with Earth within the next decade. The object was discovered in December last year in Chile when automated alert systems were triggered.