JAKARTA - Apophis, a giant asteroid that is estimated to be older than the Earth, is predicted to cross the Earth at a very close distance. This phenomenon will be visible on April 13, 2029.
The presence of Apophis is eagerly awaited by astronomy enthusiasts because this asteroid only approaches the planet every few thousand years. This means that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that many people do not have.
Launching from Space, this asteroid will be 32,000 kilometers from Earth at its closest point. This is a very close distance, even closer than satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO).
Apophis is reportedly visible to people in Europe, Africa, and Western Asia. With a magnitude of 3.1, Apophis will look like a bright star that moves very quickly in the night sky.
Earth's gravity is expected to affect the physics of this 375-meter-long rocky asteroid. Earth's tidal pull will likely change the spin rate to cause landslides on the asteroid's surface.
Previously, Apophis had sparked global concerns because he was considered potentially hitting the Earth, so he was nicknamed the God of Chaos. However, the latest observations have confirmed that there is no risk of collision, at least in the next hundred years.
Major space agencies such as NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are now preparing special missions to welcome Apophis' arrival. NASA's OSIRIS-APEX mission is scheduled to orbit Apophis to study changes in its internal structure after interacting with Earth.
Data obtained from this space mission is expected to provide new insights into the evolution of asteroids in our solar system. This data can also be used to prevent large asteroid collisions that may occur in the future.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
