tech

March 11, 2026

'The moon is safe': asteroid is not on collision course, scientists confirm

ESA’s Planetary Defence team allays fears 100-metre-wide object could hit Earth’s moon and disrupt satellites

'The moon is safe': asteroid is not on collision course, scientists confirm

TL;DR

  • Asteroid 2024 YR4, initially estimated to have a chance of impacting Earth or the moon, will now safely pass the moon at over 20,000km.
  • New observations using the James Webb Space Telescope refined the asteroid's orbit and ruled out any collision risk.
  • While a collision was not expected to endanger Earth, lunar debris could have interfered with satellites.
  • Scientists, while relieved, expressed a slight disappointment at missing a potential 'science experiment'.
  • The European Space Agency's Planetary Defence team continues to monitor near-Earth objects to ensure preparedness for genuine threats.

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