Asteroid 99942 Apophis will pass safely about 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometers) above Earth on April 13, 2029. The exceptionally close flyby is not an impact threat: NASA says Apophis poses no risk of hitting Earth for at least 100 years. Instead, it gives scientists a rare chance to observe how a planet’s gravity affects a small asteroid, with NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft scheduled to study Apophis after the encounter.
Will Apophis hit Earth in 2029?
No. The 2029 event is a close approach, not a collision. NASA says its observations have ruled out an impact risk from Apophis for at least 100 years. The asteroid will pass near Earth by astronomical standards, but it will remain safely above the planet’s surface.
How close will Apophis come to Earth?
NASA gives the closest-approach distance as about 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometers above Earth’s surface) on April 13, 2029. This is an altitude measured from the surface, not from Earth’s center. NASA compares it with the approximately 22,236-mile (36,000-kilometer) altitude of geosynchronous satellites. The comparison conveys how near the pass is, but does not mean Apophis will cross the orbit or path of any particular satellite. NASA’s Apophis facts page provides the general-reader figures; JPL’s technical overview gives a separate distance measured from Earth’s center, so the two values are not interchangeable.
What kind of asteroid is Apophis?
Apophis is an S-type, stony asteroid made of silicate material mixed with nickel and iron. NASA estimates a mean diameter of about 340 meters and a long axis of at least 450 meters. Radar observations suggest it is elongated and may have two lobes, but its exact shape is not known. NASA describes it as a remnant of material from the early Solar System.
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The close approach is exceptionally rare. NASA describes events at this scale as occurring every few thousand years on average; estimates vary with the criteria used to define a comparable pass, so a more precise recurrence interval is not necessary to understand the significance of 2029.
How could Earth’s gravity affect Apophis?
Earth’s gravity is expected to deflect Apophis and enlarge its orbit around the Sun. The encounter may also affect its rotation or disturb loose material on its surface. Possible changes include asteroid quakes, landslides, or shifting surface rocks and dust. These are predictions, not effects already observed: the flyby has not happened, and NASA’s assessment says how detectable any physical changes will be remains uncertain.
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That uncertainty is part of the scientific opportunity. Observations before and after the pass can help researchers compare Apophis’s orbit, spin, and surface, then assess how a close planetary encounter affected it. NASA notes that tidal forces and the accumulation of rubble-pile material are foundational processes that could play a role in planet formation.
How will scientists study the flyby?
Observatories on Earth
Ground-based observatories are expected to track Apophis during its approach. NASA says the International Asteroid Warning Network will coordinate observing campaigns. That refers to coordinated scientific observations; it does not establish that a particular local public viewing event will take place.
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NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft
NASA repurposed the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft after its Bennu sample-return mission and renamed it OSIRIS-APEX. The mission is designed to investigate Apophis after the Earth encounter, including mapping its surface and analyzing its chemical makeup. NASA’s mission page reports that the spacecraft passed Earth in September 2025 on its route and identifies its Apophis rendezvous as June 2029.
As part of the planned investigation, OSIRIS-APEX is expected to approach the surface and fire its thrusters to stir dust and rocks, exposing material beneath the top layer. These activities are mission plans; their results will depend on what the spacecraft observes and should not be treated as completed findings. Together, remote observations and the spacecraft’s close-up study can help scientists compare the asteroid before and after the encounter and investigate its surface and composition. NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX mission page describes the spacecraft and its objectives.
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Can you see Apophis without a telescope?
NASA says Apophis should be visible without a telescope or binoculars to observers in the Eastern Hemisphere, weather permitting. That does not guarantee visibility from every location: local conditions and where the asteroid appears in the sky matter. Check an up-to-date observing source for your location closer to the flyby. Specialized equipment is not a prerequisite according to NASA’s general visibility guidance.
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