Asteroid Apophis won’t crash into Earth for at least 100 years, NASA says

Bruce Willis can relax. We won’t be watching an Armageddon storyline with the infamous asteroid Apophis anytime soon. NASA has ruled out the possibility of Apophis impacting Earth for at least 100 years.

Apophis has literally been on Earth’s radar after being identified as “one of the most dangerous asteroids that could impact Earth,” according to NASA. Scientists had previously not been able to rule out a very low risk of impact in 2068, but new data highlights our planet for that year.

Apophis is more officially known as 99942 Apophis 2004 MN4. Researchers first spotted it in 2004, and there was some uncertainty in its path. the the asteroid flew a long way from Earth in early March, giving scientists a chance to collect more data and determine the future of space rock.

“A 2068 impact is no longer in the realm of possibility, and our calculations show no risk of impact for at least the next 100 years,” Davide Farnocchia of NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies said in a report. release last week.

Researchers used a radio antenna at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California, as well as the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, to collect data on Apophis and capture radar images of the asteroid.

Apophis is of concern in part because of its size. It is around 340 meters in diameter, so imagine the Eiffel Tower for comparison. The new data may also tell us more about the asteroid’s appearance. It could have a bi-lobed shape like a peanut.

We won’t have to wait long for Apophis to make another visit to our neighborhood. In 2029, it will be less than 32,000 kilometers from Earth, making a very close but safe flight over our planet.

NASA said the future approach will be “an unprecedented opportunity for astronomers to get a close-up view of a relic in the solar system that is no longer a scientific curiosity and not an immediate danger to our planet.” .

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