On April 13, 2029, a rock roughly the size of several football fields will sweep past our planet closer than most people thought possible for an object of its size. Its name is 99942 Apophis, and it is already one of the most talked-about space events of the decade.
Apophis is a near-Earth asteroid about 340 meters (1,100 feet) wide. It was discovered in 2004 and named after the Egyptian god of chaos, a name that has fueled plenty of dramatic headlines ever since. It belongs to the Aten group of asteroids, which have orbits that mostly stay inside Earth's orbit around the Sun.
At its closest, Apophis will pass about 32,000 kilometers (about 20,000 miles) above Earth's surface. That is roughly one tenth of the distance to the Moon, and closer than the ring of geostationary satellites, which orbit at about 35,786 km. The closest approach is expected around 21:46 UTC.
No. In 2004 early calculations gave a small chance of an impact in 2029, which caused real concern. Further observations and radar measurements removed that risk. NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies has ruled out an impact in 2029 and for at least the next 100 years.
Bottom line: the 2029 flyby is a spectacle and a scientific opportunity, not a threat.
Asteroids of this size pass this close to Earth only about once every 5,000 to 10,000 years on average. This is why scientists call it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: we can study a large asteroid up close, and it happens to be coming to us.
Yes, if you are in the right region. Apophis is expected to reach about magnitude 3 to 4 in brightness, visible to the naked eye as a moving point of light crossing the sky. Europe, Africa and parts of western Asia get the best view. Read our guide: how to watch the Apophis flyby.
Because the date has become an internet legend, many posts claim that something else is arriving in 2029. There is no scientific evidence for that. See our honest look at it: Will aliens arrive in 2029?