What are your plans for April 13th, The Friday of 2029? What about April 13th of 2036?
Meet Apophis, basically God of chaos or death (un-creator?) in ancient mythology.
99942 Apophis /ˈæpəfɪs/ is a near-Earth asteroid with a diameter of 370 metres that caused a brief period of concern in December 2004 because initial observations indicated a probability of up to 2.7% that it would hit Earth on April 13, 2029. Additional observations provided improved predictions that eliminated the possibility of an impact on Earth or the Moon in 2029. However, until 2006, a possibility remained that during the 2029 close encounter with Earth, Apophis would pass through a gravitational keyhole, a small region no more than about 800 metres (1⁄2 mi) in diameter, that would set up a future impact exactly seven years later on April 13, 2036. This possibility kept it at Level 1 on the Torino impact hazard scale until August 2006, when the probability that Apophis would pass through the keyhole was determined to be very small and Apophis's rating on the Torino scale was lowered to zero. By 2008, the keyhole had been determined to be less than 1 km wide. During the short time when it had been of greatest concern, Apophis set the record for highest rating on the Torino scale, reaching level 4 on December 27, 2004.... (more)
Neil DeGrasse Tyson briefly summarizes it in 2010 (1hr 5m mark):
Calculations have been revised several times since 2004 and several times again since the conversation in the event above, but it appears that the threat is real and calculations are certain to change again. Considering such a wide range of recalculations (relatively speaking), there's certainly a chance for a disaster.
Track 99942 Apophis:
https://spacein3d.com/most-dangerous/apophis
Is this the latest from NASA?
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7390
https://earthsky.org/space/preparing-asteroid-apophis-april-13-2029-passage
What do you plan on accomplishing with your life in the next 16 years?
More about asteroids (and comets):
Meet Apophis, basically God of chaos or death (un-creator?) in ancient mythology.
99942 Apophis /ˈæpəfɪs/ is a near-Earth asteroid with a diameter of 370 metres that caused a brief period of concern in December 2004 because initial observations indicated a probability of up to 2.7% that it would hit Earth on April 13, 2029. Additional observations provided improved predictions that eliminated the possibility of an impact on Earth or the Moon in 2029. However, until 2006, a possibility remained that during the 2029 close encounter with Earth, Apophis would pass through a gravitational keyhole, a small region no more than about 800 metres (1⁄2 mi) in diameter, that would set up a future impact exactly seven years later on April 13, 2036. This possibility kept it at Level 1 on the Torino impact hazard scale until August 2006, when the probability that Apophis would pass through the keyhole was determined to be very small and Apophis's rating on the Torino scale was lowered to zero. By 2008, the keyhole had been determined to be less than 1 km wide. During the short time when it had been of greatest concern, Apophis set the record for highest rating on the Torino scale, reaching level 4 on December 27, 2004.... (more)
Neil DeGrasse Tyson briefly summarizes it in 2010 (1hr 5m mark):
Calculations have been revised several times since 2004 and several times again since the conversation in the event above, but it appears that the threat is real and calculations are certain to change again. Considering such a wide range of recalculations (relatively speaking), there's certainly a chance for a disaster.
Track 99942 Apophis:
https://spacein3d.com/most-dangerous/apophis
Is this the latest from NASA?
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7390
https://earthsky.org/space/preparing-asteroid-apophis-april-13-2029-passage
What do you plan on accomplishing with your life in the next 16 years?
More about asteroids (and comets):
