14 hours ago · NASA will use the James Webb Space Telescope to gather crucial data on the size of asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a small chance of striking Earth in 2032. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST ...

4 days ago · Why is asteroid 2024 YR4 important? Asteroid 2024 YR4 was discovered on 27 December 2024. As of 10 February 2025, it has an approximately 98% chance of safely passing Earth on 22 December 2032. Astronomers are working to reduce our uncertainty about the asteroid’s orbit and rule out any impact risk, but it will fade from view from Earth in a few months’ time, and a small chance of impact ...

4 days ago · Astronomers are limited to studying asteroid 2024 YR4 in visible light. Using James Webb Space Telescope's MIRI instrument scientists will determine the asteroid's size by observing the heat emitted, giving a better estimate of its size and the threat to Earth.

Feb 7, 2025 · NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will also observe the asteroid in March 2025 to better assess the asteroid’s size. Currently the asteroid is estimated to be 130-300 feet across. As more observations of the asteroid’s orbit are obtained, its impact probability will become better known.

1 day ago · How will the James Webb Space Telescope help track 2024 YR4? The Webb Telescope launched Christmas Day in 2021 and made a splash seven months later when the first images were released in July 2022 ...

5 days ago · In a rare "time-critical" decision, the James Webb Space Telescope will study the true size of the "potentially hazardous" asteroid 2024 YR4 twice over the next few months. The asteroid has a ...

1 day ago · A telescope in Chile discovered the asteroid 2024 YR4 in December. It’s estimated to be 130 feet to 300 feet (40 meters to 90 meters) across. Observations by the Webb telescope should provide a more precise measurement, according to NASA. NASA and the European Space Agency initially put the odds of a strike at just over 1%.

1 day ago · The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been allocated emergency observation time to study asteroid 2024 YR4, which has been classified as potentially hazardous.The space rock was identified in December 2024 and has been placed on the asteroid watch list due to its estimated 2.3% chance of colliding with Earth in December 2032.

3 days ago · Since its discovery on December 27th, 2024, asteroid 2024 YR4 has become a key focus for astronomers as they refine their understanding of its orbit. Initially estimated to have a 1.2% probability of impact in December 2032, updated calculations from February 7th, 2025, have adjusted this figure to 2.2%, reflecting the natural evolution of impact assessments as new data becomes available.

3 days ago · Scientists are using the James Webb Space Telescope to observe asteroid 2024 yr4, a near-Earth object that has a low chance of hitting Earth in 2032. ... Rivkin is leading the Webb observation of ...