An Asteroid We Once Thought
Could Collide with Earth will now be visited by a repurposed spacecraft when the space rock passes close in 2029.
When Asteroid Apophis Was Discovered
It appeared to be headed towards Earth with a risk of impact in 2029 that would have had potentially catastrophic results
This 340 Metre-Wide Boulder Is Much
Smaller than the one that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, but it is large enough to obliterate a large city.
So It Was A Great Relief
When further observations of the orbit of Apophis allowed astronomers to calculate that on its encounter with us in 2029 it will pass by about 30,000 km
This Means That There's
No risk that it will strike or cause any damage, but it is still a close call by astronomical standards.
It Will Be Close Enough
That people in Europe and parts of Africa may be able to see it with the naked eye as it flies by.