Astronomers worldwide are monitoring Asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 2% chance of hitting Earth on December 22, 2032. While the probability is low, the asteroid’s size and trajectory were enough to trigger an international warning system for planetary defence.

Scientists say the threat of a newly discovered asteroid has risen slightly in the past few weeks, as the world's telescopes rush to track its course.

The asteroid, dubbed 2024 YR4, has a 2.3% chance of colliding with Earth on Dec. 22, 2032, according to a NASA update on Feb. 7. This probability of impact has increased since Jan. 29 when NASA observed that the asteroid had a little over 1% chance of impacting Earth.