Dubbed 2024 YR4, the asteroid was first spotted on December 27, 2024, by the El Sauce Observatory in Chile. Based on its brightness, astronomers estimate it is between 130 and 300 feet wide.
Space agencies have systems in place to spot, track, and forecast the future orbits of potentially hazardous asteroids. NASA has a network of telescopes used to track near-Earth asteroids, like ...
The asteroid, known as Asteroid 2024 YR4, was first reported to the Minor Planet Center on Dec. 27, 2024. At the time, initial estimate said it had a 1.2% chance of striking Earth. The estimate ...