After its discovery in 2004, the asteroid Apophis was identified as one of the most dangerous objects that could hit Earth. Fortunately, recent calculations suggest that the asteroid is just passing us. It will fly over Europe in 2029, on Friday the 13th, around 8 pm.
The planet Apophis is 450 m high, 170 m wide and weighs about 40 million tons. It got its name from the ancient Egyptian god Apopus, the “Destroyer”, who resides in the underworld and tries to devour the sunshine of the god Ra every day and rid humanity of the Sun.
Asteroid collision with Earth – illustration photo.
The asteroid was first observed on June 19, 2004 by the Kitt Peak Observatory in Arizona. However, due to a lack of data, scientists could not calculate its trajectory. Half a year later, it was identified as one of the most dangerous objects. He became the number one priority. The professional and lay public wanted to know the answer to the question of the risk of impact.
Asteroid Apophis
According to current estimates, the impact energy would correspond to approximately 9,740 Mt TNT. This would create a crater with a diameter of 8 km on the mainland. Upon impact with the ocean, a tsunami would be triggered, creating a 7-meter wave a thousand kilometers from the epicenter.
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According to experts, the area of impact would include the belt stretching from Kazakhstan to the western tip of Africa. The NEOSim computer simulation estimated a hypothetical impact in Colombia or Venezuela. Damage to property and infrastructure was estimated at $ 400 billion, with around 10 million people dying. Even if the asteroid destroyed an area of thousands of kilometers, the disaster should not have long-term global consequences.
It will be tight
In March last year, the Asteroid approached Earth at a distance of 17 million kilometers. Thanks to this, the scientists managed to calculate its orbit with a deviation of 150 m. They used a 70-meter radio antenna near Barstow, California. The results of this radar observation campaign confirmed that Apophis should completely avoid Earth in the next 100 years.
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However, the closest known asteroid flyby will occur on April 13, 2029. At its nearest point, it will be only 32,000 kilometers above the Earth’s surface, which is closer than geostationary satellites. It will be possible to observe the planet with the naked eye in Europe, Africa and Western Asia. “I am really pleased that Apophis can be removed from the list of risks and look forward to the results of our research as it approaches us in 2029,” said Davide Farnocchia of NASA. According to experts, there should be no risk during the flight.
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Source: Youtube
Source:
www.hradec.rozhlas.cz, www.ct24.ceskatelevize.cz, www.cs.wikipedia.org,www.nasa.gov
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