كويكب غريب يضع الأرض في حالة تأهب infographic
Graphic maps the movements of asteroid 2024 YR4.
GN46738AR

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كويكب غريب يضع الأرض في حالة تأهب

By Ninian Carter

February 4, 2025 - يقول المراقبون إن كويكباً أكبر حجماً من حادثة تونغوسكا في العام 1908، التي استوت جرائها 80 مليون شجرة على مساحة 2150 كيلومتراً مربعاً في سيبيريا، قد يصطدم بالأرض في العام 2032.

NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in Chile discovered the asteroid on December 27, 2024.

Measuring somewhere between 40m and 100m wide, asteroid 2024 YR4 is currently speeding away from Earth at 48,000km/h, but will be back for a near-Earth flyby in around four years.

However, according to NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies, 2024 YR4 has a 1-in-67 chance of colliding with our planet at 1400GMT on Wednesday, Dec 22, 2032 – possibly striking a narrow corridor along which reside the cities of Bogota (Colombia), Yaoundé (Cameroon) and Indore (India).

The asteroid ranks as a three on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale, indicating a close encounter that merits attention from astronomers because there is a chance of collision in the next decade.

The only asteroid ever to receive a higher rating is Apophis, which rated a four on the Torino scale but was later downgraded as it poses no threat for at least a century.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 04/02/2025; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Newscom, ESO
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