Asteroid Apophis to Pass Within 20,000 Miles of Earth on April 13, 2029

# Asteroid Apophis Approaches Earth in 2029 The asteroid Apophis will pass near Earth on April 13, 2029, coming within about 20,000 miles of the planet's surface, according to NASA. Scientists consider Apophis a potentially hazardous asteroid. NASA has stated that Apophis will safely clear Earth during its 2029 passage.

" The highest satellites typically orbit around 22,000 miles above the equator. Scientists say there is no risk of Earth impact from Apophis for at least 100 years.

Scientific Opportunity from the Flyby NASA stated: "But the event is an amazing and totally unprecedented opportunity to learn much more about Apophis and similar near-Earth asteroids.

" The 2029 flyby of Apophis will be the first of its kind in history to be closely observed with modern technology. People on the ground in the Eastern Hemisphere will be able to observe Apophis with their own eyes, weather permitting. NASA estimates that asteroids as large as Apophis passing as close to Earth happen once every few thousand years on average.

Earth's gravitational pull during the 2029 close encounter could potentially stretch and squeeze Apophis, possibly triggering small landslides or other similar movements on its surface.

Details on Apophis Apophis is named after the ancient Egyptian deity known as the 'god of chaos'.

The mean diameter of Apophis is 1,115 feet. The distance between the two farthest points of Apophis is 1,480 feet or more. Apophis is made from leftover cosmic materials from the early solar system that were never part of any planets or moons, according to NASA scientists.

Discovery History Apophis was first discovered on June 19, 2004, by astronomers Roy Tucker, David Tholen, and Fabrizio Bernardi at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona.

Another group of astronomers observed Apophis later in 2004 at an observatory in Australia.