Collision of asteroid 2024 YR4 with the Moon will be visible from Earth

Russian astrophysicist, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Yuri Balega told TASS about an exciting possibility: earthlings will be able to observe through telescopes the collision of asteroid 2024 YR4 with the Moon, if it occurs.

NASA recently revised the probability of this cosmic event, increasing the chances of collision to 3.8 percent. According to scientists' calculations, this may happen on December 22, 2032. Specialists also do not exclude the possibility that the celestial body may change its trajectory and head toward Earth.

Academician Balega emphasized that an asteroid falling on the lunar surface is a rather rare phenomenon and poses no threat to our natural satellite due to the incomparable masses of the objects. However, the scientist noted that a potential collision would release colossal energy, which would lead to the formation of a crater about a kilometer in diameter.

"But what's interesting is that such a collision could be observed from Earth using telescopes, of course, if the asteroid hits the visible part of the Moon," added Balega.

Commenting on the question of possible lunar rock fragments falling to Earth as a result of the asteroid impact, the scientist reassured: such a development would "require many thousands of years."

Asteroid 2024 YR4 was first spotted in December last year by astronomers at the Chilean ATLAS observatory. According to current researcher estimates, the diameter of this cosmic wanderer does not exceed 67 meters.