Asteroid 2024 YR4: NASA Drops Collision Odds to Nearly Zero
In a cosmic twist that has asteroid enthusiasts buzzing, NASA just pulled the brakes on the disaster narrative surrounding asteroid 2024 YR4. Remember just a few weeks ago when the odds of this rock colliding with Earth in 2032 were climbing higher than your favorite indie band’s concert tickets? Well, those fears have taken a nosedive! As of February 24th, NASA announced that the once-frightening 3.1% chance of an Earth impact has plummeted to a mere 0.004%. Yup, that’s right. We’re more likely to order takeout twice this week than have to dodge a city-smashing asteroid.
Paul Chodas, the head honcho over at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, remarked that the risk assessment has improved thanks to recalibrated models of the asteroid’s trajectory. “That’s the outcome we expected all along, although we couldn’t be 100% sure that it would happen,” he explained. And honestly, isn’t that how it always goes with astronomy?
But let’s not get too comfy just yet. While we can largely breathe easy about Earth, there’s a still a pesky 1.7% chance that our buddy 2024 YR4 could take a swipe at the moon come December 22, 2032. Chodas anticipates that this number will also wane as more observations roll in.
Initially detected back in December 2024 (yes, you read that right), 2024 YR4 was large enough to cause major urban devastation if it ever decided to pay Earth a visit. In the early assessments of its trajectory, the asteroid started off with a 1% chance of collision, but excitement—or maybe sheer hysteria—saw that number soar to an alarming 3.1% just ten days later, which was unprecedented for a rock of this size.
So, while it looks like we’re safe for now, the tale of asteroid 2024 YR4 serves as a striking reminder of just how unpredictable the universe can be. Keep your eyes on the skies and your snacks close by, folks—because when it comes to celestial happenings, you never know what might come barreling down next!
Sources: Celebrity Storm Wire and People Magazine, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Associated Press
