Scientists say Apophis safe during April 13, 2029 flyby
Heads up, space fans: the asteroid Apophis, roughly 340 meters across, will swing by Earth on April 13, 2029, coming within 32,000km of Earth's surface, closer than the ring of geostationary satellites that orbit our planet.
While it was once thought risky, scientists now say we're safe from impact for at least the next 100 years.
Global observation campaign to study Apophis
This is a once-in-7,500-year kind of event for an asteroid this size. People in parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa might even spot it with the naked eye.
NASA's OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft will start observing Apophis just before and after its flyby to see how Earth's gravity affects its path and surface.
Plus, telescopes around the world and ESA's Ramses mission will join in, giving scientists a rare chance to learn more about how asteroids behave near our planet.