Moon in potential danger from Pisa-Sized asteroid
NASA and the James Webb Space Telescope have updated their predictions: there's now a 4.3% chance that asteroid 2024 YR4 could crash into the Moon on December 22, 2032.
The asteroid is about as long as a blue whale (65 meters) and, while it once looked like it might be risky for Earth, scientists say we're totally in the clear.
NASA improves its understanding of the asteroid's path
Thanks to sharper images from the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA has improved its understanding of the asteroid's path by nearly 20%.
That small boost in accuracy nudged up the odds of a lunar impact from 3.8% to 4.3%.
Right now, YR4 is too far away for regular telescopes to spot, but experts are confident it won't come anywhere near us.
If YR4 hits Moon, it will be a sight!
If YR4 does hit the Moon, it won't mess with its orbit or cause any trouble here on Earth.
But for scientists, watching an impact like this would be a rare chance to study how craters form and improve future asteroid predictions—plus, you'd be able to catch it through telescopes if it happens!