An asteroid the size of three football fields will pass near Earth on April 13, 2029, offering scientists a rare opportunity to study a large space rock up close. Named Apophis after the ancient Egyptian deity known as the “god of chaos,” the asteroid is expected to come within about 20,000 miles of Earth’s surface—closer than many orbiting satellites.
According to NASA, the highest satellites typically orbit around 22,000 miles above the equator, making Apophis’ approach one of the closest ever recorded for an object of its size. Despite its classification as a potentially hazardous asteroid, NASA has reassured the public that it will safely clear Earth during its 2029 passage, with no risk of impact for at least 100 years.
“There is no danger to Earth, to anyone or anything living on it, or to astronauts or satellites in space,” the agency said. “But the event is an amazing and totally unprecedented opportunity to learn much more about Apophis and similar near-Earth asteroids.”
Scientists note that Earth’s gravitational pull during the close encounter could potentially “stretch” and “squeeze” the asteroid, possibly triggering small landslides or other surface movements. This flyby will be visible to observers on the ground in the Eastern Hemisphere, weather permitting, and close enough to be seen with the naked eye—no telescope or binoculars required.
NASA estimates such close approaches by asteroids of this size occur once every few thousand years on average, making the 2029 event a historic opportunity for observation with modern technology. The asteroid was first discovered in 2004 and initially raised concerns about possible impacts in 2029, 2036, or 2068, but years of tracking have ruled out any collision risk for the foreseeable future.
This rare celestial event underscores the importance of continued monitoring of near-Earth objects, not only for planetary defense but also for advancing scientific understanding of asteroids and their behavior in space.
