The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has said it is keeping a close watch on the possibility of a large asteroid named Apophis passing “very close to Earth”. The asteroid is named after the Egyptian god of chaos, Apophis.
It is worth noting that NASA has ruled out any risk of impact with this asteroid. It said that even its approach to Earth was almost 17 million kilometers or 44 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
Talking with Canadian National TelevisionISRO chief Dr. Somanath He said a large asteroid impact is a real existential threat to humanity, adding that the Indian Space Agency is monitoring Apophis very closely.
“International Broadcasting Organization “We are very alert to this threat and our Network for Tracking and Analysis of Space Objects (NETRA) is monitoring Apophis very closely. After all, we only have one Earth to live on,” said Dr Somanath. Canadian National Television.
NASA said asteroid Apophis, now expected to make its closest approach to Earth on April 13, 2029, will pass within 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometers) of our planet’s surface, closer than the distance of geostationary satellites.
However, they added that the proximity does not pose an immediate danger to our planet, but simply an unprecedented opportunity for astronomers to get a close-up view of a relic of the solar system.
He also said that India would cooperate with all nations to protect itself from the threat of Apophis and any other similar threats in the future.
What do we know about the asteroid Apophis?
Apophis, first discovered in 2004, was identified as one of the most dangerous asteroids that could impact Earth. However, POT changed its impact assessment after astronomers tracked this near-Earth object (NEO), estimated to be about 1,100 feet (335 meters), and its orbit became better determined.
In March 2021, a radar observation campaign combined with a detailed analysis of the orbit allowed astronomers to determine that the asteroid Apophis does not pose any threat of collision with Earth for at least the next hundred years.
The asteroid Apophis became famous as a potential threat to Earth due to predictions of a close approach in 2029. Later observations ruled out the risk of an impact in 2029 and also of a later approach in 2036. However, as of March 2021, there was still a slight possibility of an impact in 2068.
During Apophis’ flyby of Earth on March 5, 2021, astronomers used powerful radar observations to refine their estimate of the asteroid’s orbit around the Sun with extreme precision. This allowed them to confidently eliminate any risk of impact in 2068 and beyond.
Davide Farnocchia of NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) said an impact in 2068 is no longer a possibility. “Our calculations show no risk of impact for at least the next 100 years.”
Farnocchia added that with the support of additional optical observations and radar observations, the uncertainty in Apophis’ orbit has been reduced from hundreds of kilometers to just a handful of kilometers when projected out to 2029.
He shared that when he first started working with asteroids after college, Apophis was the perfect example of a dangerous asteroid. However, he feels some satisfaction in seeing it removed from the risk list. “We are looking forward to the scientific discoveries we can make during its approach in 2029.”
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