NASA has given new information on asteroid 2024 YR4. In a new study, NASA has increased the probability of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting the Earth to 3.1 percent. If this asteroid hits the Earth, it can cause great damage. India can also come under its influence.
The huge asteroid moving towards Earth has once again raised the concerns of scientists. The US space agency NASA has found in its new study that the possibility of this asteroid named 2024 YR4 colliding with Earth has increased. NASA has increased the risk of it colliding with Earth to 3.1 percent. NASA had earlier estimated the possibility of it colliding with Earth to be 2.3 percent. In such a situation, this possibility of an asteroid colliding with Earth is a matter of concern. The cities most at risk from this asteroid include Mumbai and Kolkata in India.
NASA believes that this asteroid will pass near the Earth in the year 2032. During this time, the probability of its collision is 3.1 percent or 1 in 32. Earlier on February 7, NASA had increased the probability of this asteroid colliding with the Earth from 1.2 to 2.3 percent. After this, this risk was increased to 2.6 and now this probability has been increased to 3.1 percent. There is also a 0.3 percent probability of this asteroid colliding with the moon.
These cities are most at risk
It is not completely clear which part of the Earth will be hit by Asteroid 2024 YR4. If there is a possibility of a collision, then this place could be somewhere in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, Northern South America, Atlantic Ocean, Africa, Arabian Sea and South Asia. In view of this danger, this entire area has been considered a 'risk corridor'.
The cities that are most at risk from this asteroid i.e. 2024 YR4 include Mumbai and Kolkata in India and Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Bogota, the capital of Colombia, can also be hit by it. Abidjan, a big city in West Africa, Lagos in Nigeria and Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, are also included in this.
How dangerous is this asteroid?
Asteroid 2024 YR4 is about 177 feet (54 meters) wide, which is as high as the Leaning Tower of Pisa. In case of a collision with the Earth, it can turn a big city into a pile of rubble. If it hits the Earth, it will release about 8 megatons of energy. This is 500 times more energy than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
Experts say that there is still a 96.9 percent chance that this asteroid will not hit the Earth, but the danger of the remaining 3.1 probability cannot be underestimated. Researchers hope that as more information is obtained about its trajectory, the probability of a collision will decrease. This probability may even go down to zero.
Scientists are trying to gather more information about this asteroid. This will help them predict its path more accurately. A team of scientists has been allowed to use the James Webb Space Telescope to study YR4. Experts say that more information will be available about this soon.