Recently, astronomers got a closer look at the giant space rock, revealing its violent origin story.
The menacing asteroid may have broken off from a larger space rock following a collision.
This research is set for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
An artist’s illustration of 2024 YR4.W. M. Keck Observatory/Adam Makarenko
The Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in Chilediscoveredasteroid 2024 YR4 on December 27, 2024.
The asteroid spins in a retrograde direction once every 20 minutes.
There are often large boulders that sit at the top of rubble pile asteroids.
Earth-crossing asteroidsthose whose orbits intersect with Earthsoften originate from the inner region of the main belt.
As their orbits evolve, the asteroids are then kicked off onto a trajectory that sends them toward Earth.
That could explain why 2024 YR4 is unlike most other celestial visitors that cross Earths path.
When it was first spotted, asteroid 2024 YR4 was 515,116 miles (829,000 kilometers) away from Earth.
News from the future, delivered to your present.
New Webb Telescope data confirms that asteroid 2024 YR4 poses no threat to Earth during its 2032 flyby.
As for the Moon, not so much.
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