Asteroid Apophis, named for the Egyptian god of chaos, will pass closer to Earth on 13 April 2029 than many weather satellites do — roughly 32,000 kilometres from the surface — and up to 90% of the wo
Asteroid 99942 Apophis is set to pass within 32,000 kilometers of Earth on April 13, 2029. This rare event will be visible to the naked eye for nearly 90% of the global population and provides a unique opportunity for scientific observation.
Why it matters
It represents the closest encounter with a mountain-sized asteroid in recorded history, offering a natural experiment for planetary gravity studies.
For the first time, humanity will watch a mountain-sized asteroid sail closer than our weather satellites, close enough that nearly half the world might witness it without instruments.
On the evening of 13 April 2029, a point of light may appear among the stars and move quickly enough for anyone watching carefully to see that it does not belong there.
It will not be a satellite. It will not be a meteor burning in the atmosphere. It will be asteroid 99942 Apophis, a stony object with a mean diameter of about 340 metres, passing roughly 32,000 kilometres above Earth’s surface.
That is inside the altitude used by geostationary weather and communications satellites. It is less than one tenth of the average distance to the Moon. For an asteroid of this size, it is the closest encounter humanity has ever known about years in advance.
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