'God of chaos' asteroid to pass close to Earth in 2029

Key Points:

• Asteroid 99942 Apophis will safely pass within about 20,000 miles of Earth on April 13, 2029, a distance nearly 12 times closer than the moon and closer than many geosynchronous satellites, marking one of the closest approaches ever recorded for an object of its size.
• The flyby will be visible to the naked eye in the Eastern Hemisphere, weather permitting, allowing sky-watchers to observe the event without telescopes or binoculars.
• Initially considered potentially hazardous due to possible Earth impacts in 2029, 2036, or 2068, astronomers now confirm there is no risk of impact for at least 100 years after extensive tracking.
• The close approach will allow scientists worldwide to study Apophis’ physical properties, with NASA and the European Space Agency planning spacecraft missions to observe the asteroid shortly after its 2029 flyby.
• Apophis is a 4.6-billion-year-old relic of the early solar system, roughly 1,115 feet in diameter, with a weathered surface from exposure to space weather, and will become part of the Apollo asteroid group after its 2029 Earth flyby.