Asteroid 2024 YR4, measuring approximately 174 to 220 feet (53 to 67 meters) in diameter, has a roughly 4% chance of colliding with the Moon on December 22, 2032, according to the European Space Agency and recent observations. Initially considered a potential threat to Earth, further analysis has effectively ruled out any impact on our planet. However, if the asteroid strikes the Moon, it could trigger a massive explosion, ejecting around 100,000 tons of debris into space. Approximately 10% of this debris could reach Earth, posing a threat to satellites, including Starlink satellites, and potentially endangering space technology and astronauts. The lunar collision would also produce a spectacular meteor shower visible from Earth and represent the most violent lunar impact in millennia. Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope and other sources have refined the asteroid's trajectory, confirming the increased likelihood of a lunar impact rather than an Earth impact. The probability of the collision will remain unchanged until new observations are possible around mid-2028.
Ultra-massive asteroid on possible collision course with Moon will NOT trigger destructive meteor shower on Earth. https://t.co/LAf3Ws0CdW
BREAKING: Massive asteroid on potential impact path with the Moon could trigger destructive meteor shower on Earth.
BREAKING: A massive asteroid headed toward the Moon could potentially spark a destructive meteor shower on Earth.