Asteroid 2024 YR4 Could Hit Moon in 2032, Earth Safe

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NASA has increased the chance of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting the Moon to 3.8%, while confirming Earth faces virtually no danger from this space rock

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The asteroid's potential lunar impact date has been calculated for December 22, 2032, though scientists stress a 96.2% chance it will miss completely

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James Webb Space Telescope observations have narrowed down 2024 YR4's size to 53-67 meters, roughly equivalent to a 10-story building

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Initially feared as a possible "city killer" when discovered last December, the asteroid's Earth impact risk has dropped to a mere 0.004%

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Astronomers will lose sight of the asteroid after mid-April when it becomes too faint for Earth-based telescopes to track

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Webb telescope will take one final look at the space rock in late April or early May before it vanishes into the outer solar system for year

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A lunar collision, while unlikely, would create a fresh crater and give scientists a rare opportunity to watch an asteroid impact in real-time

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Telescopes would certainly see it, and binoculars might," said Professor Mark Burchell about the potential lunar impact's visibility from Earth

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