Asteroid Apophis to flyby Earth in first of its kind encounter in recorded history

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On April 13, 2029, the asteroid Apophis will pass within 19,000 miles (31,000 kilometers) of Earth’s surface. This will be the closest known approach by an asteroid of this size that scientists have known about in advance.

Apophis is an “S-type” asteroid made of silicate materials and nickel-iron. On April 13, 2029, it will be visible to observers on the ground in the Eastern Hemisphere without the aid of a telescope or binoculars. 

NASA will send the OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft to study Apophis immediately after its close approach. The spacecraft will observe surface changes, map the surface, and analyze the chemical makeup of the asteroid. 

While not big enough to pose an existential threat to life on Earth, an Apophis-sized asteroid striking the planet at hypersonic speed could still devastate a major city or region.

Apophis, also called the “God of Chaos”, is likely to fly close to Earth on April 13, 2029, and will be only 20,000 miles away, which is closer in comparison to a few manmade satellites and will be visible in the Eastern Hemisphere.

According to NASA, the asteroid Apophis will safely pass Earth on April 13, 2029, coming within 19,794 miles (31,860 kilometers) of the planet’s surface. This will be the closest approach to Earth by an asteroid of this size that scientists have known about in advance.

Apophis is about 1,100 feet (340 meters) wide and will pass closer to Earth than most geosynchronous satellites. Because of its size, the asteroid’s close passage will be so bright that around 2 billion people will be able to see it with the naked eye

Apophis was discovered in 2004 and given a 2.7% chance of hitting Earth in April 2029. However, it will not hit Earth anytime soon.

Apophis is moving through space at 2.894 miles per second (4.658 kilometers per second) relative to Earth. It’s traveling at a speed of about 26,712 kilometers per hour, which is almost twice as fast as a hypersonic ballistic missile

Apophis will be magnitude 3.1 during its 2029 approach, which is easily visible to the naked eye. It will appear as a bright star moving quickly across the sky, and will be visible from Europe, Africa, and western Asia

Apophis will be 10 times closer to Earth than the moon, and closer than most geosynchronous satellites. This will cause Earth’s gravity to alter Apophis’s path, making it pass through a gravitational keyhole. This could lead to a potential impact in 2068, but it’s still very unlikely

According to NASA, Apophis has a “bilobed” or peanut-like appearance. This is a common shape for near-Earth asteroids that are larger than 660 feet (200 meters) in diameter

During its 2029 approach, Apophis will appear as a bright star moving quickly across the sky. It will be visible from Europe, Africa, and western Asia. In Los Angeles, experienced stargazers might be able to spot it with binoculars around 3:30 a.m. on April 13. 

Apophis will have a maximum angular speed of 42° per hour and a maximum apparent angular diameter of approximately 2 arcseconds. This is roughly equivalent to the angular diameter of Neptune from Earth.

According to NASA, Apophis will not hit the moon in 2029. The moon orbits Earth at an average distance of about 384,000 kilometers, while Apophis will pass by Earth at a distance of about 31,000 kilometers in 2029.

According to skyandtelescope.org, Apophis is too small to completely hide the moon. Even when viewed through a telescope, it will appear as a star

Yes, Apophis orbits the Sun with a period of 324 days. Apophis is a near-Earth asteroid, meaning its orbit brings it within 1.3 times the distance between the Sun and Earth

Apophis is an Aten-class asteroid, which means it gets nearly as close to the sun as Venus, then heads out to just beyond Earth’s orbit. In the course of its orbit, Apophis can pass very close to the Earth. 

NASA has confirmed that there is absolutely zero chance the space rock known as 99942 Apophis will strike this planet for at least 100 years

In ancient Egyptian mythology, Apophis is a malevolent deity or demon who embodies chaos, destruction, and darkness. He is often depicted as a giant serpent or snake

Apophis is also known as Apep in Greek. He is the enemy of the sun god, Ra, and the opposite of Ma’at, the personification of order. The Egyptians believed that the sun was Ra traveling along a boat in the heavens. 

Apophis is a sort of void or “black hole” that forces those he swallows into non-existence. The Egyptians believed that the king could help maintain the order of the world and assist Ra by performing rituals against Apophis. 

According to Wikipedia, Geraldine Pinch claims that a creation myth explains that Apophis sprang from the saliva of the goddess Neith. However, it was commonly believed that Apophis existed from the beginning of time in the waters of Nu of primeval chaos.

Osiris is the Egyptian god of the underworld, death, resurrection, and fertility. He is also known as the “Lord of the Living” and the “Judge of the Dead”. 

OSIRIS-APEX is a NASA mission that will study the asteroid Apophis after it passes close to Earth in April 2029. The spacecraft will arrive at Apophis in April 2029 and begin imaging the asteroid on April 2, 2029. After the flyby, the spacecraft will spend about 18 months analyzing Apophis’s surface and composition

The OSIRIS-APEX mission is an extension of the OSIRIS-REx mission, which collected a sample from the asteroid Bennu and returned it to Earth in September 2023. The OSIRIS-REx mission aims to help scientists understand how planets formed and how life began, as well as improve our understanding of asteroids that could impact Earth. 

Apophis is a 1,000-foot-wide asteroid that is made of silicate materials and nickel-iron. It originated in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and is not expected to impact Earth’s surface for at least a century.

(Full article source google)

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