"An asteroid this size impacts Earth on average every few thousand years and could cause severe damage to a local region," the European Space Agency said.

Experts are tracking asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 1.2% chance of impacting Earth in 2032. Observations continue to refine its path.

An asteroid set to swing by Earth in 2032 has small chance of smashing into our planet, but experts aren't panicking — yet.

Researchers discovered Asteroid 2024 YR4 last Christmas — and the odds on it hitting Earth have increased since

A dive into probabilities, asteroid impact modeling, and what sort of damage an approximately 180-foot asteroid could cause on Earth.

It is as wide as the wing span of a 747 and has a 1 in 83 chance of hitting the Earth when it arrives in 2032. David Moore of Astronomy Ireland told DublinLive that 2024 YR4 would be a “country killer” if it hits.

YR4 was first discovered in December last year by a telescope in Chile. The near-Earth asteroid is as big as a football field, measuring 40 to 100 metres across.

Astronomers believe that YR4 may approach Earth within 66,000 miles. However, given the unpredictability of orbits, NASA says it could be a direct hit. According to the network's estimates, impact locations include the eastern Pacific, northern South America, Africa, and south Asia, reports Metro .

On 27 December last year, astronomers using the ATLAS survey telescope in Chile discovered a small asteroid moving away from Earth. Follow-up observations have revealed that the asteroid, 2024 YR4, is on a path that might lead to a collision with our planet on 22 December 2032.

UN planetary defence organisations are closely monitoring an asteroid that has a tiny risk of hitting the Earth. The European Space Agency (ESA) has said that it has an almost 99% chance of safely passing Earth on 22 December 2032,