Now that the possibility of a large asteroid called Apophis coming “very close to Earth” has come into focus, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) says it is keeping an eye on it. The asteroid is named after the Egyptian God of Chaos, Apophis.
Interestingly, NASA ruled out any risk of an impact from this asteroid. It said that even its closest approach to Earth was still nearly 17 million kilometers or 44 times the Earth-Moon distance.
Talking to NDTVAccording to ISRO chief Dr S Somanath, a large asteroid impact is a real existential threat to humanity, adding that the Indian Space Agency is keeping a close eye on Apophis.
“ISRO is very much aware of this threat and our Network for Space Objects Tracking and Analysis (NETRA) is keeping a close eye on Apophis. After all, we only have one Earth to live on,” said Dr. Somanath NDTV.
NASA expects asteroid Apophis to make its closest approach to Earth on April 13, 2029. The asteroid will pass within 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometers) of Earth’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 merely a unique opportunity for astronomers to get a close-up look at a relic.
He also said that India would work with all countries to avert the threat of Apophis and other similar threats in the future.
What do we know about asteroid Apophis?
First discovered in 2004, Apophis was identified as one of the most dangerous asteroids that could hit Earth. However, NASA changed its impact assessment after astronomers tracked the near-Earth object (NEO), estimated to be about 1,100 feet (335 meters) across, and its orbit was better determined.
In March 2021, a radar observation campaign combined with a detailed orbit analysis allowed astronomers to determine that the asteroid Apophis does not pose a risk of collision with Earth in the next hundred years.
Asteroid Apophis gained notoriety as a potential threat to Earth due to predictions of a close approach in 2029. Later observations did not account for a risk of an impact in 2029, nor for a later approach in 2036. However, a small chance of an impact in 2068 remained until March 2021.
During Apophis's distant flyby of Earth on March 5, 2021, astronomers used powerful radar observations to refine the asteroid's orbital estimate around the sun with extreme precision, allowing them to confidently rule out any risk of an 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 impact risk for at least the next 100 years.”
Farnocchia added that thanks to optical observations and additional radar observations, the uncertainty in Apophis' orbit has decreased from hundreds of kilometers to just a few kilometers in projections for 2029.
He said that when he started working on asteroids after college, Apophis was the poster child for dangerous asteroids. But he feels a certain sense of satisfaction that it has been taken off the risk list. “We're looking forward to the science we might discover as we approach it in 2029.”