Giant 196-Foot-Wide Killer Asteroid Could Strike Earth In 2032, Experts Warn

Astronomers have identified a massive space rock, known as 2024 YR4, that could be on a collision course with Earth in 2032. Though the probability of impact remains low, the asteroid’s size and proximity have raised concerns among scientists. Measuring approximately 196 feet (60 meters) wide—about half the length of a football field—this near-Earth object (NEO) ranks among the most hazardous ever observed for its size.

According to NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), 2024 YR4 has a “1 in 83” chance of impacting Earth on December 22, 2032. At that time, it is projected to pass within 66,000 miles (106,200 kilometers) of our planet. Currently, the asteroid is about 27 million miles away, but its trajectory remains uncertain.

The asteroid was first spotted by telescopes in Rio Hurtado, Chile, under the ATLAS project. Due to uncertainties in its orbital path, scientists cannot yet rule out the possibility of an impact. As a result, both NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have placed 2024 YR4 at the top of their impact risk lists.

With a Torino Scale rating of three, the asteroid warrants active monitoring by astronomers. David Rankin, an asteroid hunter with the Catalina Sky Survey, reassured the public, stating, “Impact probability is still very low, and the most likely outcome will be a close approaching rock that misses us.”

If 2024 YR4 were to collide with Earth, it could cause an explosion in the atmosphere known as an “airburst” or form a significant crater upon ground impact. Scientists compare its potential effects to past events like the Tunguska explosion in 1908 or the Meteor Crater in Arizona.

The predicted impact zone, referred to as the “risk corridor,” stretches from South America, across the Atlantic Ocean, and into South Africa. However, due to the asteroid’s uncertain orbit, these estimates are subject to change with further observations.

Rankin emphasized that the asteroid’s characteristics—such as size and composition—remain unknown, making it difficult to determine its potential for destruction. Radar observations, the most effective method for measuring these factors, are currently impossible due to their distance from Earth.

Astronomers expect to refine their predictions in 2028 when 2024 YR4 will make a closer, less risky flyby at about 5 million miles (8 million kilometers) away. Until then, experts will continue closely tracking its path.