Many researchers believe that an asteroid could collide with Earth at any moment. Statistics indicate that a celestial object the size of a soccer ball has the potential to wipe out life on Earth once every 1,000 years.
American astronomers predict that a 400-meter-wide asteroid will eventually erase the Earth’s surface. On April 13, 2029, a celestial body currently known as Apophis will pass by Earth at a distance of about one-tenth of the distance between Earth and the Moon. Recently, experts from the University of Michigan reported that the last time an asteroid came this close to Earth’s surface was 1,300 years ago.
The asteroid 2004 MN4, now referred to as Apophis, is currently at its closest position to Earth (30,000 km from Earth’s center) and has recently been listed with the number 99942. This name was assigned to the asteroid on July 19, 2005. Additionally, some pharaohs from the 15th-16th dynasties were also named Apophis. Today, 99942 Apophis is the only asteroid with a unique number and name.
Recently, astronomers have been observing from various observatories on Earth to determine the orbit of the asteroid and the conditions that bring it close to the Earth’s surface. The data collected allows astronomers to predict that the asteroid will collide with Earth in 2029.
Last year, researchers concluded that the asteroid is one of approximately 600 celestial objects currently posing a danger to Earth. According to preliminary data, Apophis may come close to Earth’s surface again in 2035, 2036, and 2037. This is the first time researchers have established the impact of Earth’s gravity on large asteroids.
Researchers believe that the gravitational pull of Earth and the attraction within and on the surface of the asteroid could potentially dislodge it from its trajectory. Observing it through telescopes and other devices enables scientists to study the internal structure of the asteroid and gather all necessary information in case it threatens to collide with Earth.
There are areas with a diameter of about 600 square meters that exert gravitational influence on asteroids due to the distribution of gravitational forces in the solar system; as asteroids pass through these zones, their orbits can change slightly. With Apophis’s trajectory above Earth in 2029, the deviation range is several thousand kilometers in each direction. Astronomers note that there are three gravitational “keys” within this corridor that could alter the asteroid’s orbit and even lead to a predicted collision in 2036.
The asteroid is too small to have the capability to destroy life on Earth; however, its collision with any part of the Earth could cause severe devastation in that area. American experts estimate that such a collision could result in damages up to $400 billion, along with countless other disasters. Apophis may be visible from regions in Europe, Africa, and Western Asia on the night of 2029.
NASA experts are preparing to build a nuclear rocket to either destroy or significantly alter the asteroid’s orbit. It is believed that if such an intervention were launched towards Apophis before 2029, it would be sufficient to change the asteroid’s trajectory by about 800 meters to prevent a collision with Earth in 2036. To achieve this, Apophis’s orbit would need to be altered by 13,000 kilometers, which indeed poses an extremely challenging task with current technology.
