Apophis: What you should know about the asteroid skimming by Earth in 2029
An asteroid is seen falling to Earth, breaking apart in the atmosphere (illustrative).
(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Apophis will still pass by the Earth in 2029 – specifically on April 13 – at a distance less than 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometers) from the Earth’s surface.
The massive asteroid known as 99942 Apophis was once considered among the most dangerous asteroid in space, with the potential to strike Earth very high.
When it was discovered, the 370-meter asteroid’s trajectory towards the planet made many fear that an impact could actually happen.
Ultimately, however, this situation now seems unlikely thanks to additional data gathered by astronomers. As such, NASA has declared the planet free of risk from any asteroid impact for the next century.
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