On 13 April 2029, a roughly 375-metre asteroid named Apophis will pass closer to Earth than some of our own satellites — just 32,000 kilometres above the surface — and new calculations suggest up to 9
In April 2029, the asteroid Apophis will pass extremely close to Earth, becoming visible to the naked eye for nearly 90% of the global population. While the encounter is scientifically significant, experts have confirmed there is no risk of impact.
Why it matters
This rare astronomical event provides a unique opportunity for global public engagement with space science and planetary monitoring.
New visibility maps put as much as 90% of humanity inside Apophis's cumulative naked-eye viewing region, but geography is only the first condition.
On 13 April 2029, asteroid 99942 Apophis will pass roughly 32,000 kilometres above Earth’s surface. For a few hours it will be closer than satellites in geostationary orbit, bright enough to see without a telescope, and moving fast enough for its progress against the stars to become apparent.
The encounter is safe. NASA and ESA have ruled out an Apophis impact for at least the next century. A newer question is how much of humanity could stand outside and watch it happen.
Visibility maps presented in June 2026 put the potential audience as high as 7.6 billion people, close to 90 per cent of the world’s population. It describes people living somewhere inside the cumulative viewing region, not those sharing one clear view at the same moment.
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