[Image of an asteroid. Photo credit: Pixabay]

NASA, the renowned organization known for space and aerospace research, has publicly disclosed that there is a slight chance of an asteroid hitting Earth in 2024.

This is not the first time NASA has made such an announcement, and it certainly won’t be the last. 

Asteroids are small clusters of rock and remnants combined together, and they look like big pieces of rock.

They are small rocky objects that, like planets, orbit the Sun.

These clusters are made up of elements such as metals, minerals, and various elements found in space. 

While asteroids are commonly found in different areas of space, they are particularly prevalent in the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

The asteroid posing a slight threat to Earth is a lost asteroid named 2007 FT3, discovered for the first time in space in 2007. 

2007 FT3 was carefully observed by scientists, but after a short observation, it was claimed to have deviated from its original flight path.

Consequently, it was no longer a matter of concern for the scientists.

NASA suggests that the re-observation of this asteroid is likely because it has made its way back towards the direction of Earth.

This asteroid, with a diameter of 0.21 miles and weighing around 54 million tons, has a calculated chance of hitting Earth in October 2024 at 0.0000087 percent, equivalent to a 1 in 11.5 million chance. 

There is an additional possibility of impact in March 2024, with a slightly higher chance of  0.0000096 percent, or 1 in 10 million.

In comparison, the potential energy released by the asteroid hitting Earth is equivalent to the impact of 2.6 billion tons of TNT, 

This would cause a significant impact on a certain region but is most likely not a threat to the entire Earth. 

Despite the very slight possibility, most news articles assert that the chances are extremely low, and there is no need for heightened concern at the moment.

NASA says that the most likely date for the asteroid to hit Earth is October 5, 2024. 

Space experts and scientists also mention that there is a low chance of the same asteroid passing by Earth in 2030, with a 1 in 10 million chance of colliding with Earth.

Although the likelihood of impact in 2024 is very low, NASA and scientists are using technology to track the asteroid and prepare for the slight possibility of this event.