ScienceMARCAApophis will pass just 31,900 kilometers from Earth in April 2029: is there a risk of collision?
The asteroid Apophis will pass just 31,900 kilometres from Earth in April 2029, closer than many satellites, but experts say there is no collision risk.
A distance shorter than the one separating our planet from the satellites orbiting it
Scientists have confirmed the asteroid Apophis, roughly 340 metres wide, will pass closer to Earth than many orbiting satellites in April 2029.
Experts rule out any collision risk for at least the next 100 years, and the flyby will be visible from Australia, Europe, Asia and Africa.
NASA and the European Space Agency both have missions planned to study Apophis up close, hoping to learn how Earth's gravity alters an asteroid's path.
Apophis will be visible to the naked eye from parts of Australia in April 2029, making it a rare chance to spot a large asteroid without a telescope.
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