toad.social is one of the many independent Mastodon servers you can use to participate in the fediverse.
Mastodon server operated by David Troy, a tech pioneer and investigative journalist addressing threats to democracy. Thoughtful participation and discussion welcome.

Administered by:

Server stats:

378
active users

#lowflyingrocks

2 posts1 participant0 posts today
Continued thread

An impact of #asteroid #2024YR4 on the #Moon could be visible from Earth, if it impacts the side that faces us. Additional hazards not mentioned in articles I've seen so far would affect planning for #NASA #Artemis landing missions and Lunar Gateway space station (not yet launched). Some ejecta/debris from the impact would leave the Moon's weak gravity and could threaten Earth or our satellites weeks or months after impact. #astronomy #PlanetaryDefense #PlanetaryDefence #LowFlyingRocks #space

Continued thread

"Asteroid will miss Earth — but may set off lunar light show" by @cosmiclog / @alanboyle - #Asteroid #2024YR4 orbit is understood well enough now that it will not impact Earth in 2032. But it's still close. A lunar impact remains possible, currently at 3.8% probability. The article paints a picture of just a light show visible from Earth. But there are more potential hazards. cosmiclog.com/2025/04/07/aster #astronomy #PlanetaryDefense #PlanetaryDefence #LowFlyingRocks #space

Cosmic Log · Asteroid will miss Earth — but may set off lunar light showAlthough astronomers have ruled out a smash-up between Earth and an asteroid known as 2024 YR4 in the year 2032, the building-sized space rock still has a chance of hitting the moon. In fact, the c…
Continued thread

"James Webb telescope takes emergency look at 'city-killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 ahead of close encounter in 2032" by @LiveScience - #NASA #JWST observations confirm #asteroid #2024YR4 will not impact Earth on the Dec 22, 2032 fly-by. An impact on the #Moon🌒 is still not ruled out. Another JWST observation is scheduled for May before the rock disappears into the dark outer solar system for several years. livescience.com/space/asteroid #astronomy #PlanetaryDefense #PlanetaryDefence #LowFlyingRocks #space

Live Science · James Webb telescope takes emergency look at 'city-killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 ahead of close encounter in 2032By Brandon Specktor
Continued thread

"A Near-Miss with a City-Killer Asteroid Highlights Gaps in Earth’s Defenses" by @SciAm - Increasing capabilities to search for the next wayward #asteroid will mean recurring news like #2024YR4 where a threat is evaluated for potential collision course with Earth. At some point, we will find one headed here. Planning and test exercises try to become prepared for what to do when we know one is coming. scientificamerican.com/article #astronomy #PlanetaryDefense #PlanetaryDefence #LowFlyingRocks #space

Scientific American · How Planetary Defenders Planned to Stop That City-Killer AsteroidBy Robin George Andrews
Continued thread

"Asteroid 2024 YR4 is going to miss Earth, but the story doesn’t end there" by @arstechnica / @sciguyspace - The orbit of #Asteroid #2024YR4 has been narrowed down enough to know it will not hit Earth. Get used to more asteroids being evaluated as potential threats. The good news is that humanity is increasingly able to find these threats which were already out there. Don't be a dinosaur.🦕🦖🌠 arstechnica.com/space/2025/02/ #astronomy #PlanetaryDefense #PlanetaryDefence #LowFlyingRocks #space

Ars Technica · Asteroid 2024 YR4 is going to miss Earth, but the story doesn’t end thereBy Eric Berger
Continued thread

"You’re going to see more ‘city-killer’ asteroids, but fret not, MIT astronomer says" by KTLA Los Angeles - #Astedroid #2024YR4 is a useful example of what we're likely to see more often as astronomers get better equipment to locate rocks that have always been out there but previously passed unseen in the dark. Observation of an asteroid's orbit should look like this each time. ktla.com/news/nationworld/city #astronomy #PlanetaryDefense #PlanetaryDefence #LowFlyingRocks #space

Continued thread

I don't see new news articles yet. But I checked the #NASA JPL data on #asteroid #2024YR4. It has been dropped on the Torino Scale of impact hazards from 1 to 0, previously at 3 when it was in the news. Now 1 in 26000 chance of impact in the 2032 pass. 😌 Still expected to go to zero. Dark skies under a waning moon allowed enough observations to narrow down its orbit before it's too far away from Earth to see for 3 years. #astronomy #PlanetaryDefense #PlanetaryDefence #LowFlyingRocks #space

Continued thread

"NASA massively lowers impact risk of 'city-killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 to 1 in 360" by @Spacecom / @RobertLea - #Asteroid #2024YR4 dropped from 3 to 1 on the Torino Scale of impact hazards. Telescope observations have narrowed down its orbit estimate, and chances of impact in 2032. As of Tuesday it was listed as 3.1%. It dropped to 0.28% as of Thursday when the article was written. (Minor update to 0.36% today.) It's expected to drop to zero. space.com/asteroid-2024yt4-imp #astronomy #LowFlyingRocks

Space · NASA massively lowers impact risk of 'city-killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 to 1 in 360By Robert Lea
Continued thread

"Chance of 'city-killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 smashing into Earth rises yet again to 3.1%, #NASA reports" by @LiveScience - As astronomers' observations have narrowed the estimate of #asteroid #2024YR4's orbit, Earth's size is now a larger fraction of the reduced cross-section of possible paths. So probability goes up until impact is ruled out. 96.9% chance the eventually-narrowed path will eliminate impact with Earth. Computation continues. livescience.com/space/asteroid #astronomy #LowFlyingRocks

Live Science · Chance of 'city-killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 smashing into Earth rises yet again to 3.1%, NASA reportsBy Patrick Pester
Continued thread

"Why asteroid 2024 YR4 is unlikely to hit Earth in 2032 and how scientists keep track" by @AssociatedPress - Scientists collecting telescope observations of 2024 YR4 to compute its orbit. As long as Earth is within the area of uncertainty in its path, there will be a small percentage chance of impact, Earth's size as a fraction of the cross section of possible paths. Impact chances will fluctuate, then probably be eliminated. apnews.com/article/asteroid-20 #2024YR4 #asteroid #astronomy #LowFlyingRocks

"Don’t panic, but an asteroid has a 1.9% chance of hitting Earth in 2032" by @arstechnica - The reason not to panic is astronomers are narrowing down a potentially threatening near-Earth #asteroid orbit with accumulating observations. The Earth occupies some small percent of the potential paths while the orbit remains uncertain. Historically, so far narrowing such orbits has eliminated Earth from the path. No guarantees. Monitor news. arstechnica.com/space/2025/02/ #2024YR4 #astronomy #LowFlyingRocks

Ars Technica · Don’t panic, but an asteroid has a 1.9% chance of hitting Earth in 2032By Stephen Clark
Continued thread

While @Leighton was driving, we both witnessed from #Melbourne a fireball meteor on January 28. Due to being on the road, we didn't have good enough direction info to make a report. I recall I looked at my watch and it was 2057 local time (AEDT), during local twilight. But apparently enough people had info to report and AMS eventually posted it. It had to be one of the longest-lasting meteors I've seen. fireball.amsmeteors.org/member #asteroid #meteor #fireball #astronomy #LowFlyingRocks #Australia

"Astronomers just deleted an asteroid because it turned out to be [he who shall not be named]’s Tesla Roadster" by Astronomy Magazine (apparently inactive acct @astronomymag if you know them, bug them to reactivate) - #Asteroid #2018CN41 was "discovered" and then deleted because it's a car. The car was used as a dummy weight for the initial demonstration launch of Falcon Heavy in 2018. astronomy.com/science/astronom #astronomy #traffic #LowFlyingRocks #HighFlyingCars

Astronomy Magazine · An asteroid got deleted because it was actually Elon Musk’s Tesla RoadsterThe case of mistaken identity was quickly resolved, but astronomers say it shows the need for transparency around craft in deep space.

"Midland family stunned as 'billion-to-one' meteorite shatters car windscreen" by Birmingham Live - UK family dismissed a loud noise overnight as fireworks. But in the morning they found a cracked windshield and strange black rock on driveway. Father & son checked the rock with a magnet, and began to think it may be a meteorite. No lab test mentioned in the article. birminghammail.co.uk/news/midl #asteroid #astronomy #LowFlyingRocks

Birmingham Live · Midland family stunned as meteorite shatters car windscreenPaul Butler, 55, and his family thought the noise outside was fireworks before they discovered the truth

"P.E.I. homeowner captures sound and video of meteorite strike on camera, and scientists believe it's a first" by @cbcnews - Extremely rare: 1st meteorite ever confirmed in Canada's Prince Edwards Island province. It is also believed to be the first video-with-audio recording of a meteorite impact. (Video and stills have captured impacts on the Moon and Jupiter before.) cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edwa #asteroid #astronomy #LowFlyingRocks

CBCP.E.I. homeowner captures sound and video of meteorite strike on camera, and scientists believe it's a first | CBC NewsA man in Prince Edward Island got doubly lucky last July, recording a meteorite's impact on his home security cameras. The space rock also landed in the exact spot he'd been standing minutes earlier.

"Mysterious fireball invades Spanish airspace, then crashes into Leon village" by Euro Weekly News - No details on any damage. Residents startled and meteorite fragments found in León, Spain after fireball lit up the sky over the region. Coincidentally, León will also be near the center of the Aug 2026 total solar eclipse's path of totality. euroweeklynews.com/2025/01/11/ #astronomy #asteroid #LowFlyingRocks

Euro Weekly News · Mysterious fireball invades Spanish airspace, then crashes into Leon villageBy Marc Menendez-Roche

"Very bright fireball seen over Seattle, Victoria and Vancouver" by The Watchers (no Mastodon/Fediverse acct - if you know them, bug them about it) - Bright fireball was reported 18:17 local on Sat Dec 28 over western & central Washington State, also seen near Victoria and Vancouver BC. Estimated path of the #bolide was over Puget Sound from near Everett to Mt Vernon WA. No reports of sounds or debris fall. watchers.news/2024/12/31/very- #astronomy #asteroid #LowFlyingRocks

Continued thread