City-killer asteroid won’t hit earth, but might slam into moon in 2032

An asteroid, which was earlier dubbed as a city killer, may smash our moon in 2032.
Named 2024 YR4, the space rock initially sparked alarm earlier this year when NASA flagged a small chance of it hitting Earth. That risk has since dropped to nearly zero, but researchers now saying that there’s still a 3.8% chance it could collide with the Moon.

As per astronomers, the large, pancake-shaped asteroid that could strike the Moon in 2032.

In a recent study using Chile’s Gemini South telescope, scientists found the asteroid has an unusually flat, disk-like shape, resembling a hockey puck—unlike the more common potato-shaped asteroids. “This was unexpected,” Bryce Bolin, lead author and astrophysicist at Eureka Scientific, was quoted as saying by Live Science. “Most asteroids don’t look like this.”

2024 YR4 was discovered in December 2024, and for a brief time in February 2025, it held the highest impact probability ever recorded by NASA for an object of its size: 1 in 32 (3.1%). But once astronomers refined its orbital path, that risk for Earth dropped to just 0.00078%.

The asteroid is estimated to be 98 to 213 feet (30–65 meters) wide, possibly larger based on recent James Webb Space Telescope data. It rotates once every 20 minutes and is classified as an S-type asteroid, meaning it's rich in silicate minerals like quartz.

Notably, a moon impact would cause no real harm. Instead, it could provide scientists with a rare chance to study crater formation and asteroid dynamics in real-time.

FAQs

How big is asteroid 2024 YR4?
Estimates place 2024 YR4’s size between 130 and 300 feet (40 to 90 meters) in diameter.

Will asteroid 2024 YR4 hit Earth?
Initially, there was a very slight chance of impact on December 22, 2032. However, with additional observations and refined calculations, scientists have ruled out any significant risk of Earth impact in 2032 or beyond.

What kind of damage could an asteroid of this size cause?
Damage depends on the asteroid’s exact size and composition, which remains uncertain. For an object in this size range, an airburst is the most likely outcome. If it entered Earth's atmosphere over the ocean, it would be unlikely to generate a significant tsunami, even near shorelines.

Could asteroid 2024 YR4 hit the Moon?
Yes, there's a small chance—about 3.8%—that 2024 YR4 could strike the Moon on December 22, 2032. However, even if it does, the impact wouldn’t affect the Moon’s orbit.