Natural Sciences Active Updated Jul 18, 2026
Apophis's once-in-a-generation flyby
In April 2029, the asteroid Apophis will pass closer to Earth than many satellites, becoming visible without a telescope to about 90 percent of the world's population. Scientists plan to keep tracking it closely before, during and after the flyby to see whether Earth's gravity nudges its future path.
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Jul 18, 2026 Latest
Scientists at the Apophis T-3 Years workshop in Padua, Italy, mapped who will be able to see asteroid Apophis when it passes within roughly 19,000 miles of Earth on April 13, 2029, finding up to 7.6 billion people, about 90 percent of the world's population, will be able to see it with the naked eye. Researchers say there is currently zero chance of impact this pass or within the next century.
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