An asteroid will pass Earth in 2029: Is it dangerous?
Mark your calendars: on April 13, 2029, the asteroid Apophis will fly past Earth, coming even closer than some satellites.
At 340 meters wide and visible to nearly two billion people, more people will be able to see it than saw Neil Armstrong walk on the moon.
Don't worry—after more than 20 years of tracking, scientists are sure Apophis poses zero risk of hitting us.
Apophis's close approach
This close approach only happens once every 7,500 years and is a huge deal for both scientists and space fans.
Upcoming missions from Europe and Japan will study how Earth's gravity affects Apophis as it passes within just 10% of the Earth-Moon distance.
As MIT's Richard Binzel put it back in his 2025 lecture: "Apophis will safely pass the Earth."
So get ready for an epic cosmic show—and some cool new science!