According to the latest data from the US Space and Aeronautics Agency (NASA), the Earth will meet a 335m-asteroid in 2029, an event that excited the scientific community.
The giant meteorite called 99942 Apophis , the Greek name for an Egyptian snake god has sought to swallow the Sun, will fall 30,600km from Earth. Its relatively close size and distance will bring a special moment to astronomers and other scientists.
" Apophis's approach in 2029 will be a great opportunity for science. We will observe this asteroid with both optical telescopes and radar.
With radar observations, we can see that surface details are only a few meters in size , " said Marina Brozovic, a radar scientist at NASA's Jet Engine Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
The Apophis asteroid (yellow dot) will pass through the Earth on April 13, 2029, at a distance of less than 31,000km from the surface, the distance of some satellites (green dots) orbiting the planet .(Photo: JPL).
According to NASA, it is relatively rare for such a large object to cross Earth at that distance. In fact, Apophis can even be seen with the naked eye as a bright spot.
"When the asteroid passes through the Atlantic Ocean, its path quickly changes from red to gray - that is the closest approach. After the closest approach, the asteroid will enter the sky. days and no longer visible, " NASA predicts.
According to CNN, the appearance of a large rock was named after a god of death in the next 10 years that excited the scientific community. Apophis can provide scientists with much knowledge about what to do if a more dangerous object near Earth appears.
"Apophis represents about 2,000 potentially dangerous asteroids (PHAs) , " said Paul Jigas, director of the Center for Near-Earth Research.
"By observing Apophis during the flight of 2029, we will gain important scientific knowledge that could one day be used to defend the planet , " Jigas said.
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