NASA: Asteroid Apophis Will Not Strike Earth

NASA scientist ruled out the possibility that the asteroid Apophis will strike Earth in a flyby in 2036.

Discovered in 2004, Apophis has a diameter of about 325 m, was originally believed to be approaching Earth close enough in 2029 and 2036 to justify closer investigations on the probability for impact.

NASA, however, is now certain that Apophis will not hit Earth in 2036 and will pass our planet at a distance of no closer than 19,400 miles on April 13, 2029. The impact odds as they stand now are less than one in a million, which makes us comfortable saying we can effectively rule out an Earth impact in 2036," said Don Yeomans, manager of NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at JPL. "Our interest in asteroid Apophis will essentially be for its scientific interest for the foreseeable future."

In February, NASA is expecting a much closer flyby of 2012 DA14, an asteroid with a diameter of about 40 meters, at a distance of about 17,200 miles. 2012 DA14 will approach Earth again in 2046 at a distance of about 50,000 miles.

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