“Earth Escapes ‘City-Killer’ Asteroid, But NASA Warns the Moon Could Be at Risk!” – The Times of India

Earth recently dodged a serious threat from an asteroid named 2024 YR4. This massive rock worried scientists for weeks, with early estimates giving it a 1 in 32 chance of hitting our planet. Such odds raised alarms, considering the asteroid’s potential impact was powerful enough to devastate entire cities.

However, after extensive calculations, NASA confirmed that YR4 will safely fly by Earth in 2032. Paul Chodas, who leads NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies, expressed relief, stating this was the expected conclusion all along. The asteroid, which measures about 295 feet across, had a 1.5% chance of collision just last week, which could have resulted in an explosion equivalent to 8 megatons of TNT.

While we’re safe, there’s a twist. YR4 now poses a 1.7% risk of striking the Moon. Unlike Earth, the Moon lacks an atmosphere to protect it from such impacts. If YR4 collides with the Moon, it could create a crater measuring up to 6,500 feet wide, dramatically altering the lunar landscape.

Scientists are hopeful the odds of a Moon impact will decrease as more observations are made. The James Webb Space Telescope is set to analyze YR4’s size soon, helping to provide clearer data about its trajectory.

Despite the scare, astronomers view this situation as a unique research opportunity. Even though Earth is safe, the story of YR4 isn’t over yet, and the Moon may still have to face it. This event reminds us of the dynamic nature of our solar system and the importance of continuous monitoring of near-Earth objects.

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