Exact date huge asteroid could collide with Earth as Nasa keeps close eye on impact chances

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Space agency officials have announced a newly-discovered asteroid has a slight chance of colliding with Earth in 2032. Experts say the massive rock - which is the size of London Eye - "deserves attention".

Detected last month by a Chilean telescope, the near-Earth asteroid, known as 2024 YR4, measures between 130ft and 330ft (40m to 100m). The probability of impact is just over one per cent.

Scientists are closely monitoring the celestial body, which is currently moving away from our planet. As its solar orbit becomes clearer, experts like Mr Chodas believe the risk level could eventually fall to zero, reports the Mirror.

"We are not worried at all, because of this 99 per cent chance it will miss," stated Paul Chodas, director of NASA's Centre for Near Earth Object Studies. "But it deserves attention."

The space rock will become less visible over the coming months, say NASA and the European Space Agency. Until then, top telescopes worldwide will continue tracking it to refine estimates of its size and trajectory.

Once it disappears from view, it won't be observable again until its return in 2028.

This asteroid made its nearest approach to Earth on Christmas Day, coming within about 500,000 miles (800,000km), or twice the lunar distance. It was spotted two days after that close encounter.

Mr Chodas mentioned researchers are examining sky surveys from 2016, which suggest the asteroid may have come close to Earth then as well.

Scientists are scouring historical images for signs of a menacing space rock, which could offer clues to its trajectory towards Earth.

"If we don't find that detection, the impact probability will just move slowly as we add more observations," explained one expert.

According to ESA, our planet is subject to such cosmic encounters every few millennia, underlining the importance of vigilance - this particular asteroid now heads ESA's risk chart for potential hits.

With December 22, 2032, marked as the possible date of impact, authorities are yet unable to predict the touchdown location if it were to strike.

However NASA brings a wave of relief confirming currently, no significant asteroids show an impact likelihood higher than 1 per cent.

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