The asteroid carrying the name of the god of death will sweep through the Earth in 2029

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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