Scientists monitoring asteroid that will soon hit the Earth

The European Space Agency has begun monitoring an asteroid that could hit Earth in 2032.

Asteroid YR4 was spotted by a telescope in Chile on December 27, 2024, but has since attracted the attention of astronomers in the US as well as Europe.

Since early January, astronomers have been observing the asteroid continuously using telescopes around the world and using new data to improve our understanding of its size and speed, the Verpi agency said in a statement.

Based on current estimates, there is a 1.3 per cent chance that the 328-foot-wide asteroid will hit Earth on December 22, 2032.

An asteroid of this size impacts Earth on average every few thousand years and can cause severe damage to a local area.