In April 2029, a rocky body roughly the length of three football fields will slip past Earth at a distance shorter than that of the satellites that circle our planet. Apophis, as it is called, has drawn the attention of astronomers for years, and reassurance has come from those who study its path: no collision is expected now, nor for at least the next century. What remains is an opportunity, a rare chance for humanity to watch a body of this size up close and learn how such wanderers of the inner solar system respond to the pull of a planet.
Apophis to Pass Within 31,900 km of Earth in April 2029; Experts See No Collision Risk
Closer than the satellites that orbit our planet
Mark
Why is a 340-meter asteroid getting so much attention if it won't hit us?
Mimi
Because it will pass about 31,900 kilometers from the surface, closer than the satellites that orbit Earth. Scientists rarely get to study an object this size from that distance.
Mark
What do they hope to learn?
Mimi
How an asteroid of this size behaves near a planet. Earth's gravity could slightly change its trajectory and physical characteristics.
Luke
Notice that word, could. The report doesn't say it will, or by how much. That's one of the things the flyby is meant to find out.
Mark
And the safety claim? Experts rule out a collision.
Mimi
For this approach, and according to recent calculations, for at least the next 100 years.
Luke
Fair, but the report doesn't name the experts or the institutions behind those calculations. It's attributed, not shown. I'd treat it as reported, not independently verified here.
Mark
Which missions are involved?
Mimi
ESA's RAMSES will study Apophis during the approach, and NASA plans to use OSIRIS-APEX to learn about its composition and properties.
Luke
Worth saying that the report says plans. Nothing here describes the missions' status or schedules beyond that.
Mark
Who will be able to see it?
Mimi
Conditions allowing, people in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and eastern South America.
Der Puls
- A 340-meter asteroid is set to cross roughly 31,900 kilometers above Earth's surface in April 2029, closer than many satellites orbit.
- Experts have moved quickly to calm fears, ruling out any collision during this pass and for at least the next century.
- Earth's gravity may subtly bend Apophis's trajectory and reshape its physical traits, turning the flyby into a live experiment.
- ESA's RAMSES and NASA's OSIRIS-APEX missions are lined up to gather data, with observers across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and eastern South America ready to watch.
In April 2029, a rocky body roughly the length of three football fields will slip past Earth at a distance shorter than that of the satellites that circle our planet. Apophis, as it is called, has drawn the attention of astronomers for years, and reassurance has come from those who study its path: no collision is expected now, nor for at least the next century. What remains is an opportunity, a rare chance for humanity to watch a body of this size up close and learn how such wanderers of the inner solar system respond to the pull of a planet.
In April 2029, an asteroid about 340 meters across, roughly the length of three football fields, will pass approximately 31,900 kilometers above Earth. Its name is Apophis, and for years it has drawn more attention from astronomers and space enthusiasts than most objects of its kind.
The distance alone tells the story of the approach. It is closer than the orbits of the satellites that surround our planet, which is why scientists regard the pass as a rare chance to observe an asteroid of this size at short range. Fears of danger have been set aside: there is no collision risk during this approach, and recent calculations show none for at least the next hundred years.
The real interest lies in what the flyby will reveal. Earth's gravity may slightly alter Apophis's trajectory and physical characteristics, offering researchers a unique window into how such bodies behave near a planet. Observers across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and eastern South America may watch the pass, weather permitting.
ESA's RAMSES mission and NASA's OSIRIS-APEX are set to study the asteroid's composition and properties during the encounter. The lessons are expected to reach beyond Apophis, deepening understanding of near-Earth asteroids and how they change over time. The questions now are whether Earth's pull measurably shifts the asteroid's path, and what the missions will send back once the flyby unfolds.
In April 2029, a rocky asteroid roughly 340 meters across, about the length of three football fields, will pass approximately 31,900 kilometers above Earth's surface. The object is Apophis, and it has long drawn more attention from astronomers and space enthusiasts than most of its kind.
The source report opens with a comparison worth pausing on: the distance of the pass is shorter than the one separating Earth from the satellites orbiting it. That is the scale of the approach, close enough that scientists see it as a rare chance to study an asteroid of this size at short range.
The obvious question is whether there is any danger. Experts say there is no reason for alarm. They rule out a collision during this approach, and according to recent calculations Apophis also poses no collision risk for at least the next 100 years.
The interest lies elsewhere. Researchers want to understand how an asteroid of these dimensions behaves when it comes so near a planet. Earth's gravity could slightly change both its trajectory and its physical characteristics, which makes the flyby, in the report's words, a unique opportunity to expand what is known about these objects.
The pass may also be watched by eye and instrument from many places, conditions permitting. The report lists Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and eastern South America as vantage points from which Apophis could be observed.
Several space missions are lined up to monitor the approach. The European Space Agency's RAMSES mission is intended to study Apophis during this period. NASA plans to use its OSIRIS-APEX mission to gather information about the asteroid's composition and properties. The source gives the agency's name with a typo, but the mission is ESA's.
The stated payoff is broader than one asteroid. The data collected is expected to help scientists better understand the nature of near-Earth asteroids and how they evolve. What to watch for next: whether Earth's pull measurably alters Apophis, and what RAMSES and OSIRIS-APEX report back once the flyby is underway in April 2029.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
There is no reason to be alarmed; experts rule out Apophis colliding with Earth during this approach.— Experts, as reported by Marca
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