Asteroid 2024 YR4 No Longer Poses a Threat to Earth

NASA and ESA confirm the asteroid's impact probability has dropped to near-zero, but a minor risk to the Moon remains.

Asteroid 2024 YR4, initially believed to have a small chance of striking Earth in 2032, now has an impact probability of just 0.001%, according to NASA and ESA.
The asteroid, measuring between 130 and 300 feet in diameter, was discovered in December 2024 by the ATLAS telescope system.
While Earth's risk has been ruled out, the Moon still has a 1.7% chance of being impacted, which could create a visible crater but poses no significant threat to Earth.
NASA plans to use the James Webb Space Telescope next month to gather more data on 2024 YR4 before it becomes unobservable for several years.
This event highlights ongoing advancements in planetary defense, with NASA's DART mission serving as a proof of concept for asteroid redirection strategies.