Asteroid once seen as Earth threat may strike the moon in 2032

The asteroid that once worried scientists for Earth is now targeting the moon and could strike in 2032.

The asteroid known as 2024 YR4, once considered the most dangerous space rock on record, is no longer expected to strike Earth but scientists are now eyeing a possible collision with the moon in late 2032.

The building-sized asteroid, discovered in late 2024, briefly showed a 3.1% chance of hitting Earth, sparking planetary defense concerns. New telescope data has since ruled that out, but improved tracking suggests YR4 may instead slam into the moon.

While a moon impact would pose no direct danger to Earth, it could jeopardize astronauts, lunar infrastructure, or even satellites and missions in low-Earth orbit, as debris might scatter into space. NASA says observations have improved orbit predictions by 20% since June.

Experts say YR4 is a wake-up call for expanding planetary defense to cover space assets beyond Earth. “We now have things worth protecting a bit further away,” said astronomer Dr. Paul Wiegert.

Scientists are now studying what a lunar impact could mean and whether anything can be done to stop it.

Copied