
Asteroid 2024 YR4 could result in the largest impact on the moon for the past 5000 years
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The asteroid 2024 YR4, which was once thought to be on a collision course with Earth, may still pose a threat to the planet. There is still a chance the space rock could smash into the moon, and the resulting explosion could shower Earth with a cloud of satellite-destroying shrapnel.
Astronomers have been tracking the building-sized asteroid since it was discovered in December 2024, when initial predictions of its path raised the possibility of a collision with Earth in 2032. Such a collision would have released enough explosive power to destroy a city, but, thankfully, follow-up observations showed that 2024 YR4 will almost certainly miss our planet.