National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) spotted the asteroid 2024 YR4 for the first time; previously thought to have a 1-in-83 chance of hitting Earth in December 2032.
NASA stated that scientists used the James Webb telescope to capture high-quality images of the Asteroid 2024 YR4 and has analysed that it is the size of a building.
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NASA’s Centre of Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) reported that the asteroid is expected to pass extremely close to Earth on Dec 22, 2032, at up to 66,000 miles.
Further analysis has changed the probability to around zero per cent.
However, there is no confirmation of this, and some scientists have warned it could rather collide with the moon.
According to NASA and the European Space Agency, the asteroid is projected to be nearly 200 feet (60 metres) wide and the height of a 15-storey building.
It is said to be the smallest object ever, and the biggest and most robust one sent into space.
Johns Hopkins University astronomer Andrew Rivkin stated that the observations by James Webb telescope were meaningful practice for other asteroids that may turn out to be dangerous in the upcoming years.
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