Space & Astronomy

By T.K. Randall
July 23, 2026

Image: AI-generated (Midjourney)

The asteroid Apophis - which is considered to be potentially dangerous - will make its closest approach before the decade is out.

Named ominously after the Egyptian god of chaos, Apophis measures 340 meters across and was first spotted by astronomers at the Kitt Peak National Observatory, Arizona in June 2004.

What made it particularly concerning at the time was the fact that it seemed to have a 2.7% chance of striking the Earth in 2029, making it the most dangerous space rock that we actually knew about.

Fortunately, later observations saw the odds of a collision reduced to 1 in 100,000.

But that wasn't the end of the story, because as it turns out, Apophis will pass around 20,000 miles from the Earth's surface, providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for astronomers to observe it.

It has also been revealed that around 90% of the population of the planet will be able to see Apophis in the sky during its closest approach.

On April 13th, 2029, the eyes of the world will be on the sky as this monster of the cosmic void passes us by at a distance closer than many of our own satellites.

"This event will be a special opportunity to clearly see an asteroid perceptively move against the starry background," wrote MIT planetary scientist Professor Richard Binzel.

"This event is also a science bonanza for astronomers who study asteroids in our solar system, yielding important information about their composition and how a planet's tidal forces affect them."

Source: Mail Online

Tags: Asteroid, Apophis