What happens if an asteroid hits the moon?
Vocab level: B2
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The moon could soon have another iconic crater.
It will be the largest asteroid to hit the moon within, we think, about 5000 years.
It will carve out a crater about a mile across.
A recently discovered asteroid dubbed 2024 YR4, was originally thought to be a threat to Earth 7 years from now.
New data suggests our planet is safe, but the moon isn't out of danger.
So, there's about a 4% chance that it could hit the moon.
That uncertainty will be removed the next time we can see it, which will probably not be until 2028.
Essentially, the sun is preventing us from seeing it right now.
2024 YR4 is almost 200 feet across
and could leave an impression on the moon similar in size to the meteor crater in Arizona.
So, if YR4 strikes the moon on the near side so that we can see it, there should be a bright flash and then...
those small moon rocks essentially will fall into the Earth's atmosphere where they will produce a brilliant meteor shower.
There is no real danger to Earth,
but it could impact our satellites and would put any astronauts exploring the moon under NASA's Aremis program at risk.
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