The chances of the large asteroid, 2024 YR4, hitting the Moon have increased, according to a new estimate from NASA.
When the asteroid 2024 YR4 was first spotted, there was a very low probability that it would collide with Earth in 2032, but NASA has lowered that estimate to 0.004%.
However, the agency said the probability of an impact with the Moon on December 22, 2032 has more than doubled, from 1.7% to 3.8%.
The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration bases this recalculation on data from telescopes, including the James Webb Space Telescope.
“There is still a 96.2 percent chance that the asteroid will not hit the Moon,”NASA said in a statement, noting that even if an impact does occur, it will not affect the Moon’s orbit.
Webb’s infrared observations also helped to more accurately estimate the size of the asteroid, which is estimated to be between 53 and 67 meters – about the size of a 10-story building.
Since 2024 YR4 was first spotted in December by a telescope in the desert of Chile, dozens of other objects have passed by Earth at a distance shorter than that of the Moon.
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