Moon Impact Likelihood and Potential Consequences
According to the Catalina Sky Survey’s operations engineer, David Rankin, in a statement to New Scientist, the potential for the asteroid hitting the moon exists, although it stays low. If a collision happens, a crater measuring as much as 2 kilometres in diameter may very well be shaped. While particles may very well be ejected from the floor, Rankin steered that any materials reaching Earth wouldn’t pose a major risk, as per his comments to Live Science.
Observations and Further Analysis Underway
The asteroid’s trajectory has been tracked utilizing ground-based telescopes, however its actual measurement stays unsure on account of limitations in measuring mirrored mild. To refine estimates, a global analysis workforce has been granted emergency entry to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The telescope will assess the asteroid’s infrared radiation to offer a extra exact understanding of its dimensions and composition, as reported by New Scientist.
In an e mail to Live Science, Rankin clarified that, regardless of the elevated likelihood of influence, the danger stays low, with a 97.9 p.c probability of a miss. Gareth Collins, a planetary science professor at Imperial College London, reassured in New Scientist that any particles from a possible moon influence would seemingly dissipate upon coming into Earth’s ambiance, eliminating main issues.
