2024 YR4 is moving away from Earth but will have several near passes in the next 50 years. Its closest approach will occur in late 2028, followed by six more encounters between 2032 and 2074. The highest chance of impact remains on December 22, 2032.
Why Monitoring Asteroids Matters
Threats like 2024 YR4 highlight the importance of monitoring space debris. Potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs) frequently enter Earth’s vicinity, but most pose minimal risk. For comparison, asteroid 99942 Apophis, once rated at level 4 on the Torino scale, was eventually downgraded to zero after additional observations ruled out any significant impact risk.
NASA continues to develop asteroid redirection techniques, such as the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission conducted in 2024. While the chances of a catastrophic asteroid impact are low, astronomers emphasize the need for vigilance.
“Scientists must keep watching the skies,” experts warn, noting that an asteroid impact as devastating as the one that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, while rare, remains a possibility.
