Zooming by at a distance less than 20,000 miles from our planet's surface, Apophis will make history on April 13, 2029, as the closest encounter ever recorded with an asteroid of such magnitude.
Apophis's name itself is shrouded in intrigue. Inspired by the Egyptian mythology figure Apep, an archenemy of Ra, the name is also connected to the sci-fi series Stargate SG-1, where "Apophis" was a prominent villain.
Discovering Apophis
In 2004, astronomers at Arizona's Kitt Peak National Observatory made a chilling discovery: a colossal asteroid was hurtling through space, aimed straight at Earth.
This menacing space rock was named as the 99942 Apophis, and initial estimates put its diameter at a staggering 450 meters, making it taller than iconic structures like the Empire State Building and the Eiffel Tower.
A High-Stakes Threat
Early calculations and the asteroid's orbit, which occasionally crossed Earth's path, sparked concerns about a possible cataclysmic impact.
Apophis was the first to earn a rating of four on the Torino impact hazard scale, a frightening signal of the potential danger it posed.
Read Also: NASA's Asteroid Watch Reveals 5 Massive Asteroids Approaching Earth This Month
The Gravitational Keyhole Dilemma
Adding to the fear was the notion of a gravitational keyhole - a region of space influenced by a planet's gravity.
The concern was that, during its 2029 flyby, Apophis might pass through this keyhole, altering its orbit and potentially putting it on a collision course with Earth in 2036.
The world held its breath as astronomers raced to calculate the odds of this nightmarish scenario.
A Devastating Impact
The consequences of an Apophis impact would be nothing short of catastrophic.
NASA's Sentry Risk Table estimated that the asteroid's impact could unleash a force equivalent to 1,200 megatons of TNT, dwarfing historical events like the Tunguska explosion and even the most powerful nuclear bomb ever tested, the Tsar Bomb.
While Earth has faced devastating asteroid impacts in the past, the Apophis-sized ones occur only approximately every 800,000 years, according to Curtin University.
A Dramatic Turnaround
Despite these ominous discoveries, Apophis has taken an unexpected turn in recent years.
In 2021, astronomers conducted a radar observation campaign, closely tracking the asteroid's path. This led to precise orbit analysis, which dispelled the fears of an impending impact.
As a result, NASA's declaration of Earth's safety from asteroid impacts for the next century came as a sigh of relief.
Apophis will still grace our skies in 2029, coming closer than any other asteroid of its size on record.
Asteroid Deflection
To ensure our planet's safety, astronomers worldwide continuously monitor nearby asteroids.
Projects like NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Mission, set to launch soon, aim to "nudge" asteroids away from Earth's path.
Meanwhile, innovative proposals, such as repurposing TV satellites for asteroid deflection, are being explored as immediate solutions.
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