Astronomers are currently monitoring asteroid 2024 YR4, which might be as large as a football field, assessing its potential to impact Earth in 2032. The current risk of a collision stands at 2.1%, but as more data is gathered, this probability is expected to decrease. Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are essentially space debris influenced by planetary gravity, and while many are harmless, larger ones pose substantial risks demonstrated by past impacts. Teams utilize wide field telescopes to survey the night sky regularly for locating these objects.
Each night, teams of astronomers photograph the night sky using a worldwide network of large ground-based telescopes, aiming to cover as much sky as possible.
Currently, the chances of asteroid 2024 YR4 impacting Earth are 2.1%. Astronomers anticipate these odds will decrease as they refine orbital calculations.
Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are asteroids or comets nudged into our neighborhood by nearby planets' gravitational attraction, remnants from the solar system's formation.
The impact risk from larger NEOs, like the one that caused the Chelyabinsk incident in 2013, can lead to significant local damage and injuries.
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