Tag: asteroids

‘City killer’ asteroid 2024 YR4 could shower Earth with ‘bullet-like’ meteors if it hits the moon in 2032

New simulations reveal that the infamous “city killer” asteroid 2024 YR4 could shower Earth with “bullet-like” debris if it hits the moon in seven years’ time, potentially triggering an eye-catching meteor shower — and endangering the satellites that orbit our planet.

2024 YR4 is a potentially hazardous asteroid measuring roughly 200 feet (60 meters) across, making it large enough to wipe out a large urban area if it were to hit Earth head-on. It was first discovered in December 2024 but made headlines earlier this year when scientists first predicted that there was a chance it could smash into Earth on Dec. 22, 2032. The odds of a collision peaked at 3.1% in February, which was enough to prompt NASA to study it extensively. However, subsequent analysis revealed there is zero chance of it impacting our planet.

But in April, researchers realized that, while Earth is no longer in the firing line, the space rock could still hit the moon. The odds of such a collision have grown slowly but steadily, and most recently jumped to 4.3% earlier this month. Experts will likely know the final likelihood by 2028, when the asteroid will make its next close approach to our planet.

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The asteroid that will spare Earth might hit the moon instead. What happens if it does?

The asteroid known as 2024 YR4 is out of sight yet still very much on scientists’ minds.

The building-sized object, which initially appeared to be on a potential collision course with Earth, is currently zooming beyond the reach of telescopes on its orbit around the sun. But as scientists wait for it to reappear, its revised trajectory is now drawing attention to another possible target: the moon.

Discovered at the end of 2024, the space rock looked at first as if it might hit our planet by December 22, 2032. The chance of that impact changed with every new observation, peaking at 3.1% in February — odds that made it the riskiest asteroid ever observed.

Ground- and space-based telescope observations were crucial in helping astronomers narrow in on 2024 YR4’s size and orbit. With more precise measurements, researchers were ultimately able to rule out an Earth impact.

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ASTEROID BIGGER THAN THE LONDON EYE TO PASS BY EARTH THIS WEEK, NASA SAYS

Two objects will fly by Earth this weekend, passing by safely despite suggestions that Nasa has warned they could pose a threat.

The asteroids are classed as “potentially hazardous” by the space agency, but that is a relatively flexible definition that simply means they could cause problems at some point in the future.

That has not stopped a number of stories reporting that Nasa has issued “warnings” about the dangers from the objects, or suggestions that the objects are flying at rather than past the Earth.

In fact, the two objects – known as 2016 DY30 and 2020 ME3 – will be further away than the Moon, even at their closest point to Earth.

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NASA warns massive asteroid bigger than London Eye shooting towards Earth’s orbit

NASA has warned a space rock one and a half times larger than the London Eye is shooting towards Earth’s orbit next week.

The asteroid is set to make a close approach to planet Earth and has been branded as “potentially hazardous” by the US-based experts.

NASA scientists have since given the celestial rock the name Asteroid 2020ND.

The asteroid measures in at 170m tall and is make its closes approach to Earth next Friday, July 24.

It will come within just 0.034 astronomical units (AU) of our planet, NASA has warned.

The space agency said: “Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid’s potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth.

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