'God of chaos' asteroid Apophis will be once-in-a-lifetime event visible to the naked eye
New York Post • • science
Key Points:
- A massive asteroid named Apophis, measuring about 1,230 feet in length, is set to pass closer to Earth than any similarly sized object in recorded history on April 13, 2029.
- Apophis will approach within approximately 20,000 miles of Earth's surface, closer than many satellites and nearly 12 times closer than the moon.
- Despite its size and proximity, NASA confirms there is no danger to Earth or space assets, and the event offers a unique opportunity for scientific observation.
- Initially discovered in 2004 and once considered a potential impact threat, Apophis is now classified as "potentially hazardous" due to size and proximity but poses no impact risk for at least 100 years.
- The European Space Agency plans to monitor Apophis during its flyby to study how Earth's gravity affects the asteroid, which will return near Earth in 2036 but at a much safer distance.
