Previously, the asterois Apophis was predicted to hit Earth in 2068.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, CAPE CANAVERAL – The United States Space Agency (NASA) announced this week that new telescope observations have ruled out the possibility asteroid Apophis hit Earth in 2068. The Apophis asteroid is a 1,100-foot (340 meter) space rock that should approach a terrifyingly close in 2029 and again in 2036.
Reporting from The Times of Israel, Sunday (28/3), NASA ruled out the possibility of an attack during the two approaches that appeared some time ago. However, the potential for a collision in 2068 is still looming.
First detected in 2004, Apophis is now officially off NASA’s asteroid “risk list”.
“A collision of 2068 is no longer possible and our calculations show no risk of impact for at least the next 100 years,” said Davide Farnocchia of NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, in a statement on Friday.
Scientists were able to fix Apophis’ orbit around the sun thanks to radar observations earlier this month, when the asteroid passed within 10.6 million miles (17 million kilometers). Apophis will arrive within 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometers) on April 13, 2029 – about a tenth of the distance between Earth and the moon – allowing astronomers to see well.
“When I started working with asteroids after college, Apophis was a dangerous asteroid child. “There is a certain sense of satisfaction seeing him removed from the risk list,” said Farnocchia.
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