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In about ten years, a rather imposing space rock will have an encounter very close to the Earth – Friday the 13th, not less. On April 13, 2029, the asteroid known as Apophis will pass through the Earth at a distance of only 30,000 km.
For a little bit of context, the Moon is somewhere between 225,000 and 252,000 miles at one point. Yeah, it's going to be a serious shave, but as Space.com indicates that it will be a day of celebration for scientists rather than fear, and that the next decade will offer researchers from around the world the opportunity to embark on a "dry run" of the end of the world while & # 39; They explore the steps to take if a large rock threatened our survival.
At the annual Global Defense Conference this week in Maryland, scientists discussed the many research possibilities offered by the asteroid flyby, while offering insights into what the general public can do. wait when the rock passes.
A particularly interesting remark is that the 1200-foot-wide asteroid will pass so close to the Earth that it will be visible without the need for a telescope. Scientists will say that it will be easily identifiable to the naked eye and will look like a star in the night sky, moving only very fast.
It is important to remember that Apophis poses no risk to the Earth as it passes through 2029. Its layout has been traced and studied in detail and it is clear at this point that it is not necessary There is no chance that it will hit the Earth … at least in 2029. In the future, it is harder to predict the trajectory of the space rock because of Earth's potential gravity to alter its course .
At present, it does not appear that the rock will pose a threat for overflights after 2060, but astronomers can not exclude it completely. If Apophis appears one day on a collision course with the Earth, scientists will know it extremely well at this stage and work in progress by 2029 could prove useful.
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