A massive 'city-destroying' asteroid is on course for a close pass by Earth and the Moon in 2032, and scientists now say it’s even bigger than they first estimated. With a size capable of causing catastrophic damage, experts have been racing to refine their predictions.
Although safe for Earth, the Moon still poses a small impact threat.
Space agencies first calculated that 2024 YR4 would have a diameter of about 40 meters (131 feet) based on observations made from the ground. The space rock is actually 60 meters (200 feet) in diameter, which is roughly the height of a 15-story building, according to recent direct measurements, as quoted in a report by the Daily Mail.
A blast 500 times more potent than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima would be released if an asteroid of this size struck Earth.
ALSO READ: Not eating, not sleeping: Hailey Bieber panics as Justin’s health takes a dark turn, insiders say he’s unrecognizable in his latest crisis
Although NASA has thankfully ruled out the possibility of 2024 YR4 striking Earth, the moon is still at risk, according to JWST observations, as per a report by the Daily Mail.
The world's space agencies issued a warning in February that there was a significant likelihood that on December 22, 2032, 2024 YR4 would strike Earth.
The situation was considered serious enough that better observations were required, even though the majority of experts anticipated that as scientists improved their predictions, the impact probability would decrease to zero.
The 'emergency' decision to allow access to the JWST to a global team of astronomers was made by NASA during this uncertain time.
Their task was to determine the actual damage that 2024 YR4 could inflict by precisely measuring the size of the approaching asteroid.
Earth-based telescopes had estimated the size of the asteroid, but these were only approximations based on the light bouncing off the surface.
'In general, the brighter the asteroid, the larger it is, but this relationship strongly depends on how reflective the asteroid's surface is,' the European Space Agency wrote in a blog post.
The JWST circumvented this issue by using a device that measures the heat emitted by the asteroid in the form of infrared radiation.
The JWST spent five hours on March 26 recording the asteroid as it rotated through space.
According to the infrared data collected during that period, 2024 YR4 had a diameter of 60 meters, give or take seven meters, and rotated once every 20 minutes on its axis.
Even though there is no chance that 2024 YR4 will strike Earth as a result of these new observations, developing the ability to observe potentially hazardous objects may be essential to human survival in the future.
No, NASA has confirmed that the Earth is safe. However, there is a 2% chance it will hit the Moon in 2032.
How big is the asteroid, and why is this an issue?
Scientists previously thought it was 40 meters wide, but new measurements show it is actually 60 meters. If it were to strike Earth, the impact would be 500 times stronger than the Hiroshima bomb.
Although safe for Earth, the Moon still poses a small impact threat.
How big is the 'city-destroying' asteroid, and why does it matter?
Scientists found that the asteroid, known as 2024 YR4, is even larger than previously believed using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).Space agencies first calculated that 2024 YR4 would have a diameter of about 40 meters (131 feet) based on observations made from the ground. The space rock is actually 60 meters (200 feet) in diameter, which is roughly the height of a 15-story building, according to recent direct measurements, as quoted in a report by the Daily Mail.
A blast 500 times more potent than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima would be released if an asteroid of this size struck Earth.
ALSO READ: Not eating, not sleeping: Hailey Bieber panics as Justin’s health takes a dark turn, insiders say he’s unrecognizable in his latest crisis
What does the James Webb Space Telescope reveal?
Following its discovery in December of last year, the likelihood of an impact skyrocketed to a startling 3.1%, the highest odds ever noted for a large asteroid.Although NASA has thankfully ruled out the possibility of 2024 YR4 striking Earth, the moon is still at risk, according to JWST observations, as per a report by the Daily Mail.
Could the Moon actually get hit?
The likelihood of this building-sized space rock colliding with the moon is 2%, according to researchers.The world's space agencies issued a warning in February that there was a significant likelihood that on December 22, 2032, 2024 YR4 would strike Earth.
The situation was considered serious enough that better observations were required, even though the majority of experts anticipated that as scientists improved their predictions, the impact probability would decrease to zero.
The 'emergency' decision to allow access to the JWST to a global team of astronomers was made by NASA during this uncertain time.
Their task was to determine the actual damage that 2024 YR4 could inflict by precisely measuring the size of the approaching asteroid.
Earth-based telescopes had estimated the size of the asteroid, but these were only approximations based on the light bouncing off the surface.
'In general, the brighter the asteroid, the larger it is, but this relationship strongly depends on how reflective the asteroid's surface is,' the European Space Agency wrote in a blog post.
The JWST circumvented this issue by using a device that measures the heat emitted by the asteroid in the form of infrared radiation.
The JWST spent five hours on March 26 recording the asteroid as it rotated through space.
According to the infrared data collected during that period, 2024 YR4 had a diameter of 60 meters, give or take seven meters, and rotated once every 20 minutes on its axis.
Even though there is no chance that 2024 YR4 will strike Earth as a result of these new observations, developing the ability to observe potentially hazardous objects may be essential to human survival in the future.
FAQs
Is the asteroid 2024 YR4 going to hit Earth?No, NASA has confirmed that the Earth is safe. However, there is a 2% chance it will hit the Moon in 2032.
How big is the asteroid, and why is this an issue?
Scientists previously thought it was 40 meters wide, but new measurements show it is actually 60 meters. If it were to strike Earth, the impact would be 500 times stronger than the Hiroshima bomb.
Disclaimer Statement: This content is authored by a 3rd party. The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). ET does not guarantee, vouch for or endorse any of its contents nor is responsible for them in any manner whatsoever. Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that any information and content provided is correct, updated, and verified. ET hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the report and any content therein.
