The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has revealed that a skyscraper-sized, 450-meter-wide, asteroid dubbed as the “God of Chaos” will make an ultra close fly-by the Earth and it will be visible with the naked eye for almost 90% of the world’s population.
The “potentially hazardous” space rock, officially named 99942 Apophis, will pass within 19,000 miles of the Earth, making its orbit closer than the orbits of some geosynchronous satellites.
Stargazers around the world will get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness the asteroid with the naked eye.
Here’s when the asteroid is expected to be visible in different parts of the world:
The fly-by is expected on April 13, 2029, and it’ll be visible from 15:00 GMT.
- In Australia and most of Asia: 15:00 GMT
- In South America, northern Africa and part of Europe: 21:45 GMT
- In United Kingdom: 20:00 GMT
According to new maps shown at Apophis T-3 workshop in Padua, Italy, the best time to see the asteroid when it will be at its brightest point is 20:35 GMT.
An MIT planetary scientist Professor Richard Binzel, who helped compile the maps, has revealed that there is no chance of a collision with Earth.
Apophis was discovered in 2004 and scientists have since been keenly observing the space rock and now it provides a unique “science bonanza” for astronomers who study asteroids in our solar system.
2026-07-20 22:14:00
