NASA: Asteroid Apophis to pass near Earth in 2029

The asteroid Apophis is projected to make an exceptionally close approach to Earth in April 2029. Passing approximately 32,000 kilometers from the planet's surface, the object will be closer than many geostationary satellites and will be visible to the naked eye in the evening sky.

While the asteroid was previously categorized as one of the most dangerous space rocks in history, NASA states there is no cause for alarm. Current calculations indicate that the asteroid poses no threat of impact for at least the next 100 years. The close encounter may even alter the asteroid's rotation due to Earth's tidal forces.

In broader contexts of planetary defense, experts note that while missions like NASA's DART have successfully demonstrated the ability to deflect asteroids through kinetic impact, such methods require significant lead time. If an object were discovered only weeks before a potential impact, traditional deflection methods might be insufficient to change its trajectory enough to ensure safety.