Latest news with #AndrewRivkin
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Experts say 'city killer' asteroid will miss Earth, but could still hit moon
Once declared to be on a collision course with Earth, an asteroid dubbed a 'city killer' is now expected to miss the planet. The moon, however, might not be spared. Asteroid 2024 YR4 was first detected in December 2024. Experts believed there was a 3% chance it would hit the Earth in 2032, but there's now a near-zero chance of that happening, NASA wrote in a recent update. Concerns about the so-called city killer were high earlier this year. Astronomer Andrew Rivkin conducted a five-hour observation of the space rock and found it might make impact on the moon, the New York Post reported. There's a 3.8% chance the asteroid, about the size of a football field, will hit the moon on Dec. 22, 2032, up from 1.7% in late February, based on data collected using the James Webb Space Telescope. There is a 96.2% chance the asteroid will miss entirely; however, if it were to make contact with the moon, it wouldn't alter the moon's orbit, experts at NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies said. 'Part of our motivation to continue observing this asteroid specifically is to figure out, is that number gonna go up or is it also going to go to zero,' Rivkin said. Previous reports regarding the asteroid's size were inaccurate, the Post reported, citing the New Scientist, adding the correct measurement is 60 metres or so. Scientists will study the asteroid with the Webb telescope again in May. After that, the giant space rock will disappear into the outer solar system for the next several years. Asteroid will likely hit Earth – but not for at least 100 years Aussie man thought he found gold but it was something rarer
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA's Webb captures first glimpse of asteroid once seen as earth's biggest threat
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured stunning new images of an asteroid that was once ranked as the biggest threat to Earth. Earlier this year, the asteroid 2024 YR4 shot to the top of the planetary defense watchlist after it was predicted to have a 3 percent chance of hitting Earth in 2032. According to reports, there is a slight chance that the space rock, which swings in our direction every four years, could hit the Moon in the coming decade. The asteroid first drew the attention of NASA and astronomers when it appeared on the U.S. space agency's Sentry Impact Risk Table, which tracks asteroids with a non-zero probability of striking Earth. For a time, it was the only object among more than 37,000 known large space rocks with any realistic chance of impact, with its probability peaking at a record 3.1%. However, by late February, more precise observations allowed scientists to refine their calculations, reducing the odds of an Earth impact to virtually zero. NASA and the European Space Agency have released images of the asteroid, appearing as a faint, fuzzy dot. Webb—humanity's most powerful eye in space—has now confirmed that the asteroid measures between 174 and 220 feet (53–67 meters), about the size of a 10-story building. 'The previous size estimate of 131–295 feet (40–90 meters) was derived from visible light measurements from ground-based telescopes,' NASA said in a release. The space rock is the smallest object ever observed by the largest and most powerful space telescope. After mid-April, asteroid 2024 YR4 will move too far and become too faint for ground-based telescopes to track. However, Webb is set to observe it again in late April or early May. Johns Hopkins University astronomer Andrew Rivkin, who helped with the observations, said the observations served as 'invaluable' practice for other asteroids that may threaten the Earth. All this 'gives us a window to understand what other objects the size of 2024 YR4 are like, including the next one that might be heading our way,' he said. While Earth is no longer under threat from 2024 YR4, the Moon still faces a small possibility of impact. Following Webb's observations, NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies updated the asteroid's chances of hitting the Moon on December 22, 2032, raising the probability from 1.7% in February to 3.8%. Even if an impact were to occur, NASA assures it would not alter the Moon's orbit around Earth. Asteroid 2024 YR4 was first detected by the NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in Chile and reported to the Minor Planet Center on December 27, 2024. Despite the reduced threat, astronomers are eager to continue monitoring 2024 YR4. Along with its larger counterpart, Apophis—another once-concerning asteroid—YR4 provides a valuable opportunity to study these imposing space rocks. Scientists believe such research could help space agencies refine planetary defense strategies in case a future asteroid ever poses a real danger to Earth.
Arab Times
03-04-2025
- Science
- Arab Times
NASA's Webb telescope captures photos of the asteroid that won't hit Earth in 2032
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., April 3, (AP): The Webb Space Telescope has captured pictures of the asteroid that caused a stir earlier this year when it topped Earth's hit list. Discovered late last year, the asteroid 2024 YR4 was predicted at one point to have a 3% chance of smacking Earth in 2032. Additional observations prompted scientists to reduce the threat to virtually zero, where it remains. But there's a slight chance it could hit the moon then. The asteroid swings our way every four years. NASA and the European Space Agency released the photos - showing the asteroid as a fuzzy dot - on Wednesday. Webb confirm the asteroid is nearly 200 feet (60 meters) across, or about the height of a 15-story building, according to the two space agencies. It's the smallest object ever observed by the observatory, the biggest and most powerful ever sent into space. Johns Hopkins University astronomer Andrew Rivkin said the observations by Webb served as "invaluable' practice for other asteroids that may threaten us down the road. Ground telescopes also have tracked this particular space rock over the past few months. All this "gives us a window to understand what other objects the size of 2024 YR4 are like, including the next one that might be heading our way,' Rivkin, who helped with the observations, said in a statement.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Webb Space Telescope captures photos of asteroid that caused a stir
The Webb Space Telescope has captured pictures of the asteroid that caused a stir earlier this year when it topped Earth's hit list. Discovered late last year, the asteroid 2024 YR4 was predicted at one point to have a 3% chance of smacking Earth in 2032. Additional observations prompted scientists to reduce the threat to virtually zero, where it remains. The @ESA_Webb space telescope has spotted asteroid 2024 YR4! Webb's observations indicate that the asteroid measures roughly 60 m across, making it the smallest object targeted by Webb to Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, A Rivkin (JHU APL) — ESA Operations (@esaoperations) April 2, 2025 But there is a slight chance it could hit the Moon then. The asteroid swings our way every four years. Nasa and the European Space Agency released the photos – showing the asteroid as a fuzzy dot – on Wednesday. Webb confirmed the asteroid is nearly 200ft (60 metres) across, or about the height of a 15-storey building, according to the two space agencies. It is the smallest object ever observed by the observatory, the biggest and most powerful ever sent into space. Johns Hopkins University astronomer Andrew Rivkin said the observations by Webb served as 'invaluable' practice for other asteroids that may threaten us down the road. Ground telescopes have also tracked this particular space rock over the past few months. All this 'gives us a window to understand what other objects the size of 2024 YR4 are like, including the next one that might be heading our way', Mr Rivkin, who helped with the observations, said in a statement.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA's Webb telescope captures photos of the asteroid that won't hit Earth in 2032
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The Webb Space Telescope has captured pictures of the asteroid that caused a stir earlier this year when it topped Earth's hit list. Discovered late last year, the asteroid 2024 YR4 was predicted at one point to have a 3% chance of smacking Earth in 2032. Additional observations prompted scientists to reduce the threat to virtually zero, where it remains. But there's a slight chance it could hit the moon then. The asteroid swings our way every four years. NASA and the European Space Agency released the photos — showing the asteroid as a fuzzy dot — on Wednesday. Webb confirm the asteroid is nearly 200 feet (60 meters) across, or about the height of a 15-story building, according to the two space agencies. It's the smallest object ever observed by the observatory, the biggest and most powerful ever sent into space. Johns Hopkins University astronomer Andrew Rivkin said the observations by Webb served as 'invaluable' practice for other asteroids that may threaten us down the road. Ground telescopes also have tracked this particular space rock over the past few months. All this 'gives us a window to understand what other objects the size of 2024 YR4 are like, including the next one that might be heading our way,' Rivkin, who helped with the observations, said in a statement. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
