Asteroid 2024 YR4: Potential Earth Impact in 2032

• NASA is preparing for a potential impact from Asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 2.3% chance of hitting Earth in 2032.
• Asteroid 2024 YR4 was discovered in December 2024.
• It is approximately 300ft wide, similar in size to the Statue of Liberty or Big Ben.
• The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will be used to study the asteroid and assess the potential damage of an impact.

Potential Impact

• A strike from YR4 is estimated to be comparable to the Tunguska asteroid event of 1908, which flattened 830 square miles of Siberian forest.
• If YR4 were to hit Earth, it could explode with an energy of 15 megatons of TNT. This would produce an explosion 100 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

Size Estimation

• Scientists typically estimate asteroid size by measuring the light reflected from its surface using telescopes.
• Larger asteroids generally appear brighter, but atmospheric distortion can affect accuracy.

James Webb Space Telescope Observations

• The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is located 1 million miles (1.5 million km) from Earth.
• JWST will use infrared sensors to measure the heat radiating off the asteroid to more accurately estimate its size.
• These improved size estimates are crucial for planetary defense organizations to determine if deflection measures are needed.

Mission Timeframe

• The first JWST observations are scheduled for March, when the asteroid is at its brightest.
• A second observation will occur as the asteroid moves away from the sun.
• There will be no further opportunity to view it until it reappears around 2028.
• Data gathered will be used by ESA, NASA, and other organizations to assess the hazard and plan any necessary responses.

NASA is monitoring Asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 2.3% chance of impacting Earth in 2032. The asteroid, discovered in December 2024, is about 300ft wide. The James Webb Space Telescope will study the asteroid to assess potential impact damage.