Asteroid warning issued as 'hazardous' rock the size of a 20-story building headed for Earth in 2032
Sample of the asteroid Bennu goes on public display
NASA
A newly discovered asteroid has a 1-in-83 chance of colliding with Earth in December 2032, astronomers have warned.
The space rock, designated 2024 YR4, measures approximately 60 metres across - roughly the size of a 20-storey building.
It is currently the only Near-Earth Object (NEO) rated at level three on the Torino impact scale, giving it the highest probability of impact among all large objects being tracked by Nasa and other space agencies.
The asteroid was first spotted on Christmas Day by the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona.
A visualisation of the space rock, designated 2024 YR4
Nasa
It is currently 44 million kilometres from Earth, travelling at a velocity of 13.5 kilometres per second, according to Nasa's Eyes on Asteroid.
David Rankin from the Catalina Sky Survey said the current odds represent "one of the highest probabilities of an impact from a significantly sized rock ever".
The potential impact date is scheduled for December 22, 2032.
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Amateur astronomer Tony Dunn shared a visualisation showing the asteroid could pass Earth at an altitude of just 458 kilometres.
"Recently-discovered asteroid 2024 YR4 may make a very close approach to Earth in eight years," Dunn said on X.
This projected altitude is less than half the distance of most low-Earth orbit satellites, suggesting the asteroid could potentially be pulled into Earth's atmosphere.
"It is thought to be 40-100 metres wide. Uncertainty is still high and more observations are needed to confirm this," Dunn added.
It is currently 44 million kilometres from Earth, travelling at a velocity of 13.5 kilometres per second, according to Nasa's Eyes on Asteroid
GettyThe potential "risk corridor" for impact stretches from South America, across central Africa and up towards India and South-East Asia.
Scientists stress that this corridor could shift as new data emerges, with more observations needed to refine the asteroid's trajectory.
The impact's severity would depend not only on the asteroid's size but also its composition.
For comparison, the asteroid that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs was estimated to be between 10 and 15 kilometres wide.
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