‘City-killer’ asteroid 2024 YR4 could hit the moon instead of us, scientists say
https://www.space.com/the-universe/asteroids/city-killer-asteroid-2024-yr4-could-hit-the-moon-instead-of-us-scientists-say
‘City-killer’ asteroid 2024 YR4 could hit the moon instead of us, scientists say
https://www.space.com/the-universe/asteroids/city-killer-asteroid-2024-yr4-could-hit-the-moon-instead-of-us-scientists-say
29 Comments
This doesn’t end well for us in the book Seveneves
Currently a 2.3% chance of hitting Earth, and a 0.3% chance of hitting the moon.
Saved you a click.
Okay the moon is pretty fucking far away, considering the size of the asteroid itself, so that sheds some light on how big of a window we’re working with here.
This asteroid will probably miss
As it goes by it will blow us a kiss
But sooner or later
There will be a crater
And that we can never dismiss
For some reason I’m thinking that hitting the moon could be worse.
If this was D&D and I rolled a D100, the asteroid would hit us on a 1 or 2…which isn’t crazy odds but that 1 can sneak up on you when you least expect it.
Stupid question: has the nasa or the space force an anti asteroid program?
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For people who are worried about the asteroid, you should spend some time at the casino. You have a better chance of getting rich than this asteroid does at hitting earth.
Putting all of your money on 00 at a roulette table gives you a 1 in 38 chance, for example.
Well that sucks. I was planning my “Welcome the Asteroid to Earth” trip.
Well guess I need a new 10 year plan now.
Can we just do a weekly megathread for this thing?
Every space blog is going to pump these out nonstop.
I mean…it’s like 50% of the reason the moon is there in the first place.
Does anyone recall:
“Hohkay, der is de earth, jus chilling, Dang, dat is a sweet earth…FIRE ZEE MISSILES…”
Must protect our sweet moon!
(Facetiousness)
What are the chances an earth impact (2%) even hits a city?
Feels like the vast majority of earth is water or forest
Does anyone actually proof-read headlines anymore?
C’mon, this rock actually makes a good showing on the Torino scale. We should at least give it a proper name. “2024 YR4” is just a catalog number, it doesn’t convey any meaning about a serious hazard.
How freaking cool would it to be if you actually get to watch this hit the moon in real time.
I assume you can’t see the asteroid itself, but you would see the impact.
This is so exciting! I’m gonna bake a cake in the shape of the moon blowing up
Damnit!
I was hoping for a certain NE US city.
How much are my taxes going up because of this?
Is this another “found a habitable planet” clickbate kind a thing?
I read a book about this once, Life as We Knew It I think. Moon got hit just hard enough to slightly alter its orbit. The Climate was not happy.
This sounds arguably worse… maybe this one isn’t big enough but (correct me if I’m wrong) theoretically, if it hit the moon and had a large enough impact couldn’t it knock the moon into us..?
If anyone asks why we spend so much money on going to space it is so we can know things like this.
Hopefully it breaks up the moon, sending it towards us and Gerard Butler in on holiday, so it can wipe most of us out and force us to start again at level 1.
If an asteroid hits the moon that will be the start of the end of things. The moon effect on earth is far reaching, not just the tides.
I have to say, the chatter over this particular asteroid is gaining “voice” as it were.
“The moon blew up with no warning and with no apparent reason.”
How dare you? You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words”.