NASA says that the chances of the asteroid known as 2024 YR hitting Earth have been virtually eliminated, but it is now slightly more likely to collide with the Moon than previously thought.
Initially, the asteroid had a minimal chance of impacting Earth in 2032, but NASA has now reduced that probability to just 0.004%. However, the agency has updated its predictions, revealing that the odds of the asteroid striking the Moon on December 22, 2032, have increased from 1.7% to 3.8%.
Since the Moon lacks an atmosphere, a collision could generate a vast crater, flinging debris into space. Experts suggest that if 2024 YR4 strikes the Moon, some fragments could potentially fall back to Earth.
NASA will continue monitoring the space rock, with the possibility of revising its risk of impacting Earth, as more information becomes available. But where did the asteroid come from? And what role will it play in the future of our planet? Click through this gallery to find out.