Current orbit data place YR4’s December 2032 Earth approach at roughly 173,000 miles (278,000 kilometers) from Earth’s center. That is about seven trips around Earth’s equator, or roughly 72% of the average Earth–Moon distance.
In daily life, 173,000 miles is enormous. In the solar system, it is intimate: roughly 72% of the average Earth–Moon distance. A 60-meter object crossing that close gives observatories a much stronger signal than they usually get from such a small asteroid.
YR4 will pass nearer still to the Moon—about 13,200 miles from its surface. Proximity can reveal its spin, brightness, surface behavior, and orbit with fresh precision. It is the celestial equivalent of rare wildlife walking directly past a trail camera: brief, close, and packed with detail if every instrument is ready.