Asteroid Apophis to Pass Close to Earth in Five Years: Scientists Eager to Learn More
In about five years, a potentially hazardous asteroid named Apophis is set to swing by Earth at a distance of less than 20,000 miles. While the asteroid, first discovered in 2004, is not expected to impact Earth, scientists are excited about this rare opportunity to study it up close.
Private space companies such as Blue Origin and ExLabs have proposed missions to rendezvous with Apophis before its flyby in order to gather more information about this asteroid and other potential Earth-threatening space rocks. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is already en route to study Apophis and observe any changes it may undergo as a result of its close encounter with Earth.
The Janus mission, initially intended to explore other asteroids, may now be repurposed to study Apophis given its imminent flyby. This mission could provide valuable insights into the composition and behavior of this asteroid.
In the coming months and years, additional missions may be announced to further study Apophis and its potential impact on Earth’s gravitational field. The scientific community is eager to take advantage of this unique opportunity to advance our understanding of potentially hazardous asteroids and improve our ability to protect Earth from future threats from space. Stay tuned for more updates on Apophis and the missions planned to study it on Poh Diaries.
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