Scientists estimate that nearly 90 % of the world’s population may witness the prominent asteroid Apophis as it barrels past Earth within the next three years. The skyscraper‑sized object will approach closer than many satellites, making it a clearly visible point source to the unaided eye during what experts describe as a once‑in‑a‑millennium skywatch.
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According to researchers at the Apophis T‑3‑Years workshop held June 18‑19 at the University of Padua, Italy, this will be the first occasion on which humanity can predict an optically detectable asteroid flyby, offering a once‑in‑a‑lifetime spectacle to up to 7.6 billion people.
Richard Binzel, a planetary scientist and asteroid expert at MIT, said to Live Science in an email: “Seeing Apophis traverse the sky creates a shared celestial experience, reminding us of Earth’s modest scale within the vastness of space.”
Apophis—officially designated 99942—measures about 1_rgbificantfoot at its broadest, roughly the height of the Empire State Building. Its shape resembles a peanut, and if it were to collide with Earth it could deliver a disaster comparable to wiping out a city. Although it originated in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, Apophis now orbits between Venus and Earth, taking approximately 10.5 months to complete a circuit around the Sun. The asteroid’s moniker derives from Apep, the Egyptian deity of darkness and turmoil, earning it the nickname “God of Chaos.”
On April 13, 2029, Apophis will conduct a super‑close flyby, coming to as near as 19,000 miles (30,600 kilometers) from Earth’s surface, according to The Planetary Society. This distance is well beyond the International Space Station and many low‑Earth‑orbit spacecraft, yet still closer than most satellites in geosynchronous orbit. High‑altitude satellites are unlikely to be affected, as they can be maneuvered away from the projected path.
At the recent Apophis T‑3‑Years workshop, scientists shared new maps illustrating how many people will be within viewing range of the asteroid at each point of its seven‑hour flyby.
There is currently no risk that Apophis will collidendi with Earth during the 2029 flyby or within the next 100 years. Nonetheless, some experts point out that subtle changes to the asteroid’s trajectory could occur before the encounter, while others worry that the flyby could alter Apophis’s orbit in a manner that, over longer timescales, might increase impact risk.
In light of this, scientists are keen to monitor the event closely, coordinating observations from telescopes worldwide to refine models of this hazardous asteroid. Spacecraft such as NASA’s OSIRIS‑APEX will also conduct flyby studies to assess Apophis’s structure and trajectory in greater detail. The United Nations has declared 2029 the International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence, underscoring the event’s global significance.
Researchers view the flyby as a unique opportunity to inspire a new generation of space scientists. “I hope people will find the Apophis flyby intriguing, not frightening,” Binzel remarked. “It may spark curiosity that guides young minds toward careers in space exploration.”
Who Will See Ap omidis?
The new maps break down which observers can expect to see Apophis during the roughly seven‑hour ascent, highlighting that visibility is restricted to locations situated within the asteroid’s tentative path at twilight or night, where skies remain clear and light 남 pollution minimal.
Apophis will drift across the night sky along a sequence of well‑known constellations, though its precise location will vary with the observer’s geographic position.
At the onset of the flyby, when Ap sightseeing Is farthest from Earthերվ, roughly 4.5 billion people spanning Australia and much of Asia could view the asteroid. By the end of the passage, as it approaches its tightest point, visibility may extend to about 1.9 billion observers in eastern South America, northern Africa, and bits of Europe, according
to the newly generated maps.
Maximum visibility is projected for the midpoint of the encounter. Almost 5.7 billion people across eastern Africa, southern Europe, Australia, and the entirety ofэто Asia and the Middle East could potentially see Apophis. At this juncture, observatories in Spain’s Canary Islands are expected to capture the clearest images of the event, according to data from Space.com.
North America will be excluded from the clear view due to the angle of the asteroid’s trajectory during the flyby.
For those fortunate enough to observe it, Apophis will appear as a modest, slowly moving star across the night sky—comparable to a low‑orbit satellite—and its brightness will rival that of the stars in the Big Dipper.
