Asteroid YR4

Asteroid YR4 Latest News

On April 2, 2025, NASA announced that asteroid 2024 YR4 has a 3.8% probability of colliding with the Moon on December 22, 2032.

What is Asteroid YR4?

• YR4 is a Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) discovered in December 2024 using the ATLAS telescope in Chile.
• Its orbit brings it within 1.3 times the Earth-Sun distance, making it a Near-Earth Object (NEO).
• Initially, YR4 triggered the highest-ever NASA asteroid impact alert in February 2025.
• New infrared data from the James Webb Space Telescope estimates its size at ~65 metres, comparable to a 10-storey building, which is below the 140-meter threshold for classification as a “Potentially Hazardous Asteroid”.
• Earlier, YR4 had a 3.1% chance of hitting Earth, but the latest trajectory analysis shows a negligible risk to Earth.

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What are Asteroids?

• Asteroids, also known as minor planets, are rocky remnants from the early solar system, dating back 4.6 billion years.
• They exhibit irregular shapes, though a few are nearly spherical, and some host small companion moons or even exist as binary or triple systems.

Classification of Asteroids

• Main Asteroid Belt: Located between Mars and Jupiter, this is where the majority of known asteroids are found.
• Trojans: These share an orbit with a planet and remain stable due to the Lagrange Points (L4 and L5), where gravitational forces from the Sun and the planet balance.
• Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs): These are asteroids whose orbits pass close to Earth’s orbit. Those that cross Earth’s orbital path are known as Earth-crossers.

Asteroid YR4 FAQs

Q1: What is Asteroid YR4 and when was it discovered?
Ans: YR4 is a Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) discovered in December 2024 using the ATLAS telescope in Chile.

Q2: Why is Asteroid YR4 significant?
Ans: It is classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) due to its close approach trajectory, raising interest in planetary defence mechanisms.

Q3: What are Near-Earth Objects (NEOs)?
Ans: NEOs are asteroids or comets whose orbits bring them close to Earth’s orbit and are monitored for impact risks.

Source: TH