NASA has clarified all this to the Earth on the possibility of an asteroid called Popeys having any time on our planet at any time in the next century, which has been a concern of space scientists for 15 years.
Part of the 404040-meter (1,100-foot) space rock made headlines after its discovery in 2004, leading to some worrying predictions about its orbit. According to a NASA expert, it has become a “poster child for dangerous asteroids.”
It was to come terribly close in 2029 and again in 2036. NASA recently ruled out a possible strike during these two close approaches, but the potential collision of 2068 was lessened.
But new telescope observations mean the collision has been ruled out and Apophis has been officially relocated to the U.S. The space agency’s asteroid has been removed from the “risk list”.
“The impact of 2068 is no longer in the realm of possibility, and our calculations will show no risk of impact for at least the next 100 years,” said David Farnochia of NASA’s Center for the Study of Near-Earth Objects.
Scientists were able to improve the orbit of the apophysis around the sun due to radar observations earlier this month when the asteroid went within 17m kilometers (10.6m miles) earlier this month.
Apophis will arrive within 32,000 kilometers (20,000 miles) of Earth on Friday, April 13, 2029, enabling astronomers to make a good appearance. Which is about one-tenth the distance of the Moon and is closer to the Earth than the communications satellites orbiting around 36,000 km.
“Apophys was a poster child for dangerous asteroids when I started working with asteroids after college.” “There’s a definite sense of satisfaction in seeing it removed from the risk list.”
Although most asteroids are found in the space belt between Mars and Jupiter, not all of them live there. Apophis belongs to a group known as the Athen family. These asteroids are not related to the belt and spend most of their time within Earth orbit, placing it between our planet and the Sun.
This makes them particularly dangerous as they spend most of their orbits close to the sun, the tremendous glare obscuring them in telescopes on Earth – approaching the sun like a World War II fighter.
With the Associated Press
