On April 13, 2029, a massive asteroid named Apophis will make an approach to Earth, passing

within 19,000 miles of our surface. That’s closer than some satellites in orbit. While NASA has

ruled out the possibility of impact, the event is still significant, as it marks one of the closest

approaches of a large asteroid in recorded history.

Apophis, named after the Egyptian god of chaos, is over 1,100 feet wide—about the size of

three football fields. When it was first discovered in 2004, early calculations suggested a slight

chance of impact, causing alarm among scientists and the public. But improved observations

and tracking have ruled out a collision for at least the next century.

Despite no impact threat, Apophis will be a spectacular sight. Visible to the naked eye in parts of

Europe, Africa, and Asia, it will be brighter than most stars in the sky. Scientists plan to use the

flyby to study the asteroid up close, improving our ability to predict future asteroid paths and

possible deflection strategies.

While Apophis will be a near miss, history has seen its fair share of asteroid related events with

some being far more destructive. One of the most infamous impacts was the Chicxulub asteroid,

which struck Earth 66 million years ago, causing the mass extinction of the dinosaurs.

Estimated to be around 6 miles wide, the impact triggered wildfires, tsunamis, and a global

climate shift that wiped out 75% of all life on Earth. The massive crater it left behind, buried

under Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, is still studied today.

More recently, the Tunguska event of 1908 flattened over 800 square miles of Siberian forest.

Believed to be caused by an asteroid or comet fragment exploding in the atmosphere, the blast

released energy equivalent to 10-15 megatons of TNT—about 1,000 times more powerful than

the Hiroshima bomb. Had it occurred over a populated area, the destruction would have been

catastrophic.

In 2013, the Chelyabinsk meteor provided another reminder of the threat asteroids pose. A

66-foot-wide space rock entered Earth’s atmosphere over Russia, creating a shockwave that

shattered windows and injured over 1,500 people. The explosion, which occurred about 18

miles above ground, was estimated to be 30 times stronger than the Hiroshima bomb.

Scientists are constantly monitoring near Earth objects to predict future threats. Missions like

NASA’s DART in 2022 successfully demonstrated the ability to alter an asteroid’s trajectory,

proving that planetary defense strategies are possible.

While Apophis will safely pass Earth in 2029, its visit serves as a reminder that asteroid impacts

are not just a thing of the past. With continued research and preparation, h