CNN: New data shows asteroid 2024 YR4 will narrowly miss the moon
Asteroid 2024 YR4, discovered in December of 2024, has been a test case in planetary defense preparations. While first estimates placed the chance of it impacting Earth at around 3%, scientists quickly determined that the asteroid did not pose a threat to us. But, a few months later, the chance of it hitting the moon instead began to rise.
Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) Professor Julien de Wit and Andrew Rivkin ’91 at the Johns Hopkin’s Applied Physics Laboratory teamed up to secure time on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) through its Director’s Discretionary Time Program and take advantage of a limited window to observe the asteroid and calculate its trajectory. Their observations have improved certainty that it will also miss the moon.
