NASA announced good news Thursday: asteroid 2024 YR4 now has zero chance of hitting the moon in 2032. Earlier projections had suggested about a 4.3% chance of a direct impact.
New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope in February allowed scientists to refine the asteroid’s orbital path. With the updated calculations, researchers determined the space rock will pass about 13,200 miles from the moon on Dec. 22, 2032, safely missing it.
Astronomers first discovered the asteroid at the end of 2024, and early data briefly suggested it could pose a risk to Earth. Scientists later ruled out any collision with our planet within the next century, though the moon remained a possible impact site until the latest analysis.
The asteroid measures about 200 feet across. NASA now says its revised trajectory confirms the moon will also avoid any impact.