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In April 2029, a Massive Asteroid Will Just Miss Earth. Scientists Are Worried There Could Still Be Major Consequences
Yahoo • • science
Key Points:
- In April 2029, asteroid 99942 Apophis, about 370 meters long, will pass within 32,000 kilometers of Earth, offering a rare close flyby for scientific study.
- Scientists are confident Apophis poses no immediate threat to Earth, but a new study warns that human-made space debris in geosynchronous orbit could collide with the asteroid during its passage.
- Such a collision, while unlikely to alter Apophis's trajectory significantly, could create a crater or ejecta plume that would complicate the interpretation of data collected by ESA's RAMSES and NASA's OSIRIS-APEX missions.
- The study highlights the limited knowledge of small debris in high Earth orbit and calls for improved surveillance to better understand and mitigate risks before Apophis's flyby.
- Researchers emphasize that while debris impacts won't trigger a debris cascade in geostationary orbit, monitoring and reducing space junk remains crucial to preserving this unique scientific opportunity.
