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An asteroid that is about the size of three football fields is about to cross the Earth on April 13, 2029. Fortunately for us, it is not in danger of hitting our humble planet, according to Space.com.
The asteroid, discovered in 2004, takes its name from Apophis in the honor of the Egyptian spirit of evil and destruction. Scientists have previously suggested that there was a 2.7% chance that it would hit the Earth, but the odds were later reduced to "less than a million," said Don Yeomans, scientist in planet retired from NASA in 2013.
Indeed, if it were ever to collide with Earth, "it would cause major damage to our planet and probably our civilization," according to a statement issued at the International Academy's Global Defense Conference. 2019 astronautics [PDF].
On the bright side, it is that the asteroid should make all the difference. Because it will be less than 30,000 km from the Earth – which is close enough to celestial standards – it will be visible to the naked eye. NASA announced that Apophis would fly over Australia before crossing the Indian Ocean, Africa, the Atlantic Ocean and finally the United States. It will be visible in the eastern United States in the middle of the morning, but its closest approach will be just before 18 hours. EDT. "At 7 pm EST, the asteroid will have crossed the United States," NASA wrote in a statement.
Here is what his path will look like:
The huge pieces of space rock heading to Earth are not just great fodder for blockbuster movies. it's also a great way for scientists to learn more about these celestial bodies. Although small asteroids 5 to 10 meters in diameter sometimes fly over the Earth, it is rare to look closely at asteroids the size of Apophis.
"The close approach of Apophis in 2029 will be an incredible opportunity for science," said Marina Brozović, a radar scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in a statement. "We will observe the asteroid with optical and radar telescopes. With radar observations, we might be able to see surface details of just a few meters. "
[h/t Space.com]
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