Even in the increasingly unlikely event of an impact from YR4, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest appear to be safe from impact. Computer models showed areas of South America, Africa and southeast Asia would have the highest risk in the event of an impact, based on what astronomers know about the asteroid’s orbit.

The world is watching as NASA tweaks the odds that asteroid 2024 YR4 will hit Earth. But how threatening is YR4, and how does it compare to other potentially hazardous space rocks?