Moon Impact Could Shower Earth with Deadly Debris
Potential Lunar Collision Could Send Debris Toward Earth
Let’s talk about Moon Impact Could Shower Earth with Deadly Debris: A newly identified space rock, asteroid 2024 YR4, has drawn attention from scientists due to a small but notable chance it could collide with the Moon in December 2032. According to recent estimates, there is approximately a 4.3% probability that the 60-meter-wide asteroid will strike the lunar surface on December 22, 2032.
Simulated Impact Could Send Lunar Fragments Earthward
Researchers, including Dr. Paul Wiegert from Western University in Ontario, have used computer simulations to explore the potential consequences of such a collision. The data indicates that if 2024 YR4 impacts the Moon, it would do so at a velocity of nearly 46,800 kilometers per hour, forming a crater close to one kilometer in diameter.
The simulations also suggest that depending on the location and angle of impact, between 10% and 30% of the resulting lunar debris could be deflected toward Earth. While these fragments may not pose a threat to the planet’s surface, they could jeopardize satellites and other objects in Earth’s orbit.
Earth’s Gravity Could Draw in Debris
Dr. Wiegert noted that the likelihood of debris reaching Earth is higher than initially assumed. “It was somewhat surprising,” he said in an interview with New Scientist. “At first glance, the Earth seems like a small and unlikely target when viewed from the Moon. However, under certain conditions, Earth’s gravitational pull can redirect a significant amount of material toward it.”
The findings underscore how even relatively distant cosmic events, like a lunar collision, could have indirect effects on Earth’s near-space environment.
