Overview

• Asteroid 2024 YR4, initially flagged as a high-risk object for Earth in 2032, has been reclassified as non-threatening to the planet.
• Enhanced data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) revealed the asteroid's trajectory now carries a 3.8% chance of impacting the Moon.
• The asteroid, discovered in December 2024, is estimated to be 53-67 meters in size, with a rapid rotation period of under 20 minutes.
• If a lunar impact occurs, it could create a visible flash and a 1-kilometer-wide crater, providing a valuable scientific opportunity to study lunar geology.
• Further JWST observations planned for late April or early May aim to refine the asteroid's orbit and physical characteristics.