#1
#1 out of 3
science1d ago
This asteroid will skim by Earth and be visible with the naked eye. And scientists have calculated whether it will hit us | BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Skyatnightmagazine.com and 2 more
- Apophis will pass Earth at a distance of about 32,000 kilometers during its 2029 approach, a proximity that enables highly detailed observations from ground-based facilities under dark skies.
- The new reference reinforces that NASA sees no imminent risk from Apophis for at least a century, despite its dramatic size and close pass.
- The encounter, viewed as a landmark science event, will drive global interest in studying how Earth's gravity subtly warps and alters near-Earth objects like Apophis.
- Observatories around the Eastern Hemisphere may offer naked-eye viewing of Apophis depending on weather, timing, and parallax, highlighting accessibility for amateur skywatchers.
- Apophis is a sizable body, roughly hundreds of meters across, underscoring why its close approach has drawn sustained scientific and public interest since its discovery.
- Analyses from radar and telescope data over the years have steadily reduced the perceived collision risk, aligning with the broader consensus that long-term danger is minimal.
- Post-2029, Apophis will reappear in 2036 but at a much greater distance, reducing the likelihood of close approaches in the near term.
- The event is framed as a rare opportunity to advance understanding of Apophis and similar near-Earth objects rather than a danger to humanity.
- The 2029 flyby is anticipated to catalyze collaboration between ground observations and upcoming missions to probe gravity effects and surface changes on Apophis.
- Caliber.az’s coverage notes that Apophis’s close pass is a once-in-multiple-thousand-year event in terms of its combination of size, proximity, and observational capability.
Vote 2
