NASA will fly to an asteroid we once thought could strike Earth
NASA will fly to an asteroid we once thought could strike Earth
An asteroid we once thought was on a collision course with Earth will now be visited by a repurposed spacecraft when the space rock passes close in 2029.
An asteroid we once thought was on a collision course with Earth will now be visited by a repurposed spacecraft when the space rock passes close in 2029.
When asteroid Apophis was discovered in 2004, it appeared to be headed towards Earth with a risk of impact in 2029 that would have had potentially catastrophic results
When asteroid Apophis was discovered in 2004, it appeared to be headed towards Earth with a risk of impact in 2029 that would have had potentially catastrophic results
This 340 metre-wide boulder is much smaller than the one that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, but it is large enough to obliterate a large city.
This 340 metre-wide boulder is much smaller than the one that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, but it is large enough to obliterate a large city.
So it was a great relief when further observations of the orbit of Apophis allowed astronomers to calculate that on its encounter with us in 2029 it will pass by about 30,000 km
So it was a great relief when further observations of the orbit of Apophis allowed astronomers to calculate that on its encounter with us in 2029 it will pass by about 30,000 km
This means that there's no risk that it will strike or cause any damage, but it is still a close call by astronomical standards.
This means that there's no risk that it will strike or cause any damage, but it is still a close call by astronomical standards.
It will be close enough that people in Europe and parts of Africa may be able to see it with the naked eye as it flies by.
It will be close enough that people in Europe and parts of Africa may be able to see it with the naked eye as it flies by.