Overview

• Asteroid 2024 YR4, initially feared to have a 3.1% chance of hitting Earth in 2032, is now confirmed to pose no significant threat to the planet.
• The James Webb Space Telescope has refined the asteroid's size to approximately 60 meters, making it the smallest object ever directly measured by the observatory.
• The asteroid's Moon impact probability has increased to 3.8%, raising concerns about potential debris that could affect human space operations.
• Webb's observations revealed unique characteristics, including a fast spin and a surface dominated by fist-sized rocks, differing from larger asteroids.
• Further observations are scheduled for May 2025 before the asteroid moves out of range, contributing to planetary defense research and understanding of near-Earth objects.