NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured detailed images of asteroid 2024 YR4, revealing that it is approximately 60 meters in size – roughly the height of a 15-story building. The telescope’s observations have helped scientists significantly reduce the risk of impact on Earth by 2032 and beyond.
Asteroid 2024 YR4 initially posed a potential threat to our planet due to its small size, but recent data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has provided valuable insights into its composition and properties. Researchers used both the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to gather information about the asteroid.
By analyzing these observations, scientists were able to estimate the asteroid’s size with high accuracy, taking into account its reflective surface properties and thermal behavior. These findings are essential for understanding how asteroids of this size behave and what hazards they may pose to Earth in the future.
The telescope’s data has also helped improve our knowledge of asteroid 2024 YR4’s orbit and trajectory, providing a better understanding of its potential path towards Earth. Furthermore, these observations have contributed significantly to NASA’s planetary defense program, enabling scientists to make more informed predictions about near-Earth asteroids.
Andy Rivkin, principal investigator of the Webb Director’s Discretionary Time program, notes that while 2024 YR4 is unlikely to impact Earth in 2032, ongoing asteroid search programs and sensitive telescopes will continue to uncover more potential impactors. By studying asteroids like 2024 YR4, scientists can refine their strategies for detecting and preparing for future threats.
The James Webb Space Telescope’s observations of 2024 YR4 offer a unique window into the composition and behavior of near-Earth asteroids, providing valuable insights that will inform our understanding of these objects.
Source: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/early-highlights/nasas-webb-finds-asteroid-2024-yr4-is-building-sized