Earth Avoids ‘City-Killer’ Asteroid, but the Moon May Face a Greater Threat

Recently, people worldwide were anxious about a large asteroid named 2024 YR4 that seemed to be on a path towards Earth. NASA had been closely monitoring this space rock, with predictions suggesting that it had a 1 in 32 chance of colliding with our planet, which worried scientists and the public alike.

However, after weeks of calculations and analysis, NASA announced that Earth is safe from asteroid YR4. On Tuesday, they confirmed that the asteroid will pass by our planet in 2032 without posing any danger for the next hundred years. Paul Chodas, who leads NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies, expressed relief, stating that this was the outcome they had expected from the beginning.

Just last week, the asteroid was recognized to be about 295 feet wide and had a 1.5% chance of hitting Earth. If it did hit, the explosion would have been incredibly powerful—equivalent to 8 megatons of TNT, which is 500 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Such an impact could have destroyed entire cities.

Fortunately, the fears about Earth were quickly tempered as experts reassessed the numbers, revealing that the chances of an impact were now nearly zero. Nevertheless, there’s a new concern, as the asteroid now seems to be on a collision course with the Moon. NASA has determined that there is now a 1.7% chance that YR4 will hit the Moon. This is a significant increase from earlier estimates. Unlike Earth, the Moon does not have an atmosphere to protect it. Therefore, if YR4 strikes, it will do so at a staggering speed of 30,000 miles per hour, potentially creating a crater up to 6,500 feet wide, leaving a mark on the Moon’s surface.

NASA scientists believe that these odds may decrease further as they continue to monitor the situation. The James Webb Space Telescope is set to get a clearer image of asteroid YR4 soon, which will help to determine its actual size and trajectory before it fades from view in the coming months.

Interestingly, while this situation was unsettling, astronomers viewed it as a valuable chance for research. NASA stated that although asteroid 2024 YR4 is no longer a significant threat to Earth, it presented an invaluable opportunity for scientific study.

In summary, while Earth has managed to avoid a potential disaster, the fate of the Moon remains uncertain. The situation is ongoing, and scientists will continue to observe YR4 closely, gaining knowledge that may prove useful for understanding similar cosmic events in the future.