Massive asteroid—once feared to hit Earth—might now crash into Moon
What's the story
A giant asteroid, once thought to be a potential threat to Earth, is now being watched for its potential collision with the Moon. This was revealed by recent observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The asteroid in question is called 2024 YR4 and set a record in February with a 3.1% chance of hitting our planet.
Intervention
Planetary defense community intervened
Upon learning about the potential threat of 2024 YR4, Earth's planetary defense community sprang into action. However, additional observations soon confirmed that this particular asteroid wouldn't collide with our planet on December 22, 2032. Instead, new data from JWST suggested an increasing likelihood of a Moon impact. NASA reported that as of last month, the chance for 2024 YR4 asteroid hitting our Moon was estimated at 3.8%.
Information
Size and detection of the asteroid
Asteroid 2024 YR4, almost the size of a football field, was first spotted in December 2024. Initially, NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies had estimated its risk of colliding with Earth at 3% for year 2032. However, this risk was later revised down to 0.28%.
Future observations
JWST to observe asteroid 2024 YR4 again
The JWST will observe asteroid 2024 YR4 once again in May 2025 before it ventures into the outer solar system for years. This powerful observatory is critical for studying faint objects in the universe, with its data being used by several international space agencies. NASA has said impacts from asteroids have shaped Earth and the Moon's surfaces over billions of years.