NASA Tracks ‘City-Killer’ Asteroid 2024 YR4, Predicts Lunar Impact in 2028
NASA has been closely monitoring the trajectory of a 'city-killer' asteroid, designated as 2024 YR4, which briefly posed a threat to Earth before its path was recalculated. The asteroid, initially thought to have a small chance of impacting our planet, is now predicted to collide with the Moon in 2028. This event, while not posing a direct threat to Earth, has sparked significant interest in the scientific community and among the public.
The asteroid, estimated to be between 150 and 300 meters in diameter, was first detected in early 2024. Its potential impact on Earth was a cause for concern until further observations and calculations by NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office confirmed that it would miss our planet. Instead, the asteroid is expected to strike the Moon, an event that could be visible from Earth and provide valuable data on lunar impacts.
This development has led to increased discussions on planetary defense strategies and the importance of continuous monitoring of near-Earth objects. NASA's efforts to track and study such celestial bodies underscore the agency's commitment to safeguarding our planet from potential cosmic threats.
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Will the asteroid hit the moon?
Planetary defence experts at NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have updated 2024 YR4's chance of hitting the Moon on 22 December 2032 from 1.7% as of late February 2025, to 3.8% as of early April 2025.
Is the asteroid going to hit Earth?
An asteroid that experts feared could hit Earth is no longer on track for the planet – but it still has a slim chance of striking the moon, new research says. The 2024 YR4 asteroid is nearly the size of a football field.
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