Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul><li>New observations have found that the Apophis or ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid, which is the size of three football fields, is speeding up due to the Yarkovsky effect.</li><li>This is when the asteroid heats up in a non-uniform way, leading to the release of heat exerting a thrust that can alter the asteroid’s direction or speed it up.</li><li>The discovery of the Yarkovsky effect means that there’s still a possibility that the <keyword id="8002264" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="apophis-asteroid">Apophis asteroid</keyword> may hit Earth in 2068.</li></ul>The Apophis asteroid — named after the God of Chaos — is getting pushed around by sunlight and getting faster as it heads towards Earth. According to the researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy (<a href="https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2020/10/26/new-massive-asteroid-findings/">IfA</a>), it is under the influence of the Yarkovsky effect.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="apophis discovery" msid="78896065" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Image of Asteroid Apophis when it was first discovered on 14 June 2004&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />This is when the asteroid speeds up because its thermal radiation is no longer uniform. Simply put, some parts of the asteroid are heating up faster than other parts.<br /><br />Before the detection of this effect, Apophis — which is the size of three football fields — was likely to fly past Earth in 2068. However, the impact of the Yarkovsky acceleration means that the there is still a possibility that the massive asteroid may crash into the planet when it rolls around in another 50 years. <br /><br />The potential impact would be the equivalent of 880 million tons of trinitrotoluene (TNT) exploding simultaneously. This would make it 65,000 times more destructive than the Hiroshima nuclear disaster.<br /><br /><strong>What is the Yarkovsky effect?<br /></strong>The Yarkovsky effect makes it difficult to make long term predictions about how an asteroid will move over long periods.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="YarkovskyEffect_NRAO_300dpi_large" msid="78896106" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Diagram explaining the Yarkovsky effect&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />It happens where sunlight heats up the dayside of the asteroid, and after the asteroid turns, the night side releases the heat. That release can exert a small thrust, which can result in a change of direction. It can also accelerate or decelerate the asteroids current speed.<br /><br />The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) most recent endeavour to collect a sample from Asteroid Bennu is one of the ongoing initiatives to understand the influence of the Yarkovsky effect.<br /><br /><strong>The Apophis asteroid could hit Earth<br /></strong>"The new observations we obtained with the Subaru telescope earlier this year were good enough to reveal the Yarkovsky acceleration of Apophis, and they show that the asteroid is drifting away from a purely gravitational orbit by about 170 meters per year, which is enough to keep the 2068 impact scenario in play," said <a href="https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2020/10/26/new-massive-asteroid-findings/">Dave Tholen</a>, co-author of the paper presented at the 2020 virtual meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society.<br /><br />It’s not uncommon for small asteroids between the size of 5 to 10 meters to pass by Earth, but asteroids the size of Apophis are rare. Not only are they fewer in number, but don’t normally come this close to Earth. <br /><br />Before 2068 rolls around, Apophis is scheduled to visit Earth even sooner on April 13, 2029. The massive 340-meter asteroid will be visible streaking across Earth’s skies without the aid of a telescope or binoculars. <br /><br /><div type="image" title="apophis" msid="78895938" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;NASA animation shows the distance between the Apophis asteroid and Earth at the time of the asteroid&amp;#39;s closest approach. The blue dots are the many man-made satellites that orbit our planet, and the pink represents the International Space Station.&amp;lt;br&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br /><br />According to NASA, even this close encounter <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/elon-musk-says-we-have-no-defence-against-asteroid-god-of-chaos/articleshow/70748251.cms">may have an impact on Apophis</a>. Since it will only be 30,000 kilometers from the planet — Earth’s gravitational field may impact the way the asteroid spins or result in a change on its surface.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/ufologist-claims-the-god-of-chaos-asteroid-will-strike-somewhere-over-europe/articleshow/71537022.cms">Ufologist Michael Horn</a> claims if Apophis were, in fact, to crash into Earth, the impact point would be somewhere over Europe. <br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:<br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/china-launches-three-new-spy-satellites-amid-border-dispute-with-india-and-tensions-in-the-south-china-sea/articleshow/78886330.cms">China launches three new spy satellites amid border dispute with India and tensions in the South China Sea</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/kotak-mahindra-bank-share-price-jumps-after-earning-reports-and-possible-msci-inclusion/articleshow/78887434.cms">Kotak Mahindra Bank surges 10% on earnings upgrades and potential MSCI inclusion</a><br /><br /></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/hcl-tech-is-looking-to-expand-operations-in-canada-if-h-1b-visa-issues-persist/articleshow/78884838.cms"><strong>EXCLUSIVE: HCL Tech is expanding operations in Canada as H-1B visa issues persist</strong></a><br />

Apophis, the ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid is speeding up — increasing the likelihood of it hitting Earth in 2068

<ul><li>New observations have been able to determine that the ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid Apophis won’t be crashing into Earth for at least another 100 years.<br /></li><li>This officially rules out all doomsday predictions of Apophis breaching the Earth’s atmosphere in 2029, 2036 and in 2068.<br /></li><li>The asteroid is as big as three football fields and the resulting impact, if it were to crash into Earth, would be equivalent to 880 million tonnes of TNT exploding.</li></ul>The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has determined that the ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid Apophis won’t be crashing into Earth for at least a century. <br /><br />Many in the scientific community believe that it’s only a matter of time before a massive asteroid hits Earth. “A big rock will hit Earth eventually and we currently have no defence,” said billionaire <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/elon-musk-says-we-have-no-defence-against-asteroid-god-of-chaos/articleshow/70748251.cms">Elon Musk</a>, commenting on the Apophis asteroid.<br /><br /><div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[]]></cdata></div><br />While that may still be a possibility, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has at least narrowed down the possibility that the ‘big rock to hit Earth’ won’t be Apophis — not in 2029, 2036 or even 2068.<br /><br />“A 2068 impact is not in the realm of possibility anymore, and our calculations don’t show any impact risk for at least the next 100 years,” said Davide Farnocchai of NASA’s Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). <br /><br /><div type="image" title="apophis_edited" msid="81719242" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Apophis won&amp;#39;t be crashing into Earth for at least a century&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br /><br /><strong>What would happen if Apophis crashed into Earth?</strong><br />It’s not uncommon for small asteroids between the size of five to ten metres to pose a threat as they make their close approach to Earth, but asteroids the size of Apophis — as big as three football fields — are rare.<br /><br />The potential impact would be the equivalent of 880 million tonnes of trinitrotoluene (TNT) exploding simultaneously. This would make it 65,000 times more destructive than the Hiroshima nuclear disaster.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="asteroid gif" msid="81719274" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The animation depicts a mapping of the positions of known near-Earth objects (NEOs) at points in time over the past 20 years, and finishes with a map of all known asteroids as of January 2018&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br /><strong>Eliminating the doomsday prediction<br /></strong>Apophis was determined to be <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/apophis-the-god-of-chaos-asteroid-is-speeding-up-increasing-the-likelihood-of-it-hitting-earth-in-2068/articleshow/78895818.cms">under the influence of the Yarkovsky effect</a> in October 2020, by the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy.<br /><br />Simply put, it meant Apophis was getting pushed around by sunlight and speeding up in approach towards Earth. This made its orbit difficult to predict, increasing the likelihood of it crashing into Earth in 2068.<br /><br />In order to figure out whether the threat of a collision was real, JPL’s researchers decided to conduct a detailed analysis — using a new radar observation campaign coupled with a precise orbit analysis — of Apophis when the massive asteroid made a distant flyby of Earth on March 5.<br /><br />Tracking the asteroid with Deep Space Network’s 70-metre radio antenna and the 100-metre Green Bank Telescope, the scientists were able to capture Apophis on camera.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Screenshot (695)_edited" msid="81719181" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;These images of asteroid Apophis were recorded by radio antennas at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex in California and the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The images may appear pixelated, but considering that the asteroid was 17 million kilometres away — more than 44 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon — it’s an incredible accomplishment.<br /><br />“If we had binoculars as powerful as this radar, we would be able to sit in Los Angeles and read a dinner menu at a restaurant in New York.” said JPL scientist Marina Brozovic, who led the radar campaign.<br /><br />Using these images, not only did JPL rule out the possibility of Apophis hitting Earth in 2068 but it was also able to determine that the asteroid has a ‘bilobed’ or peanut-like appearance. According to NASA, this is a relatively common shape for big space rocks — larger than 200 metres in diameter — that fly by the planet. At least one in every six asteroids has two lobes. <br /><br />

‘God of Chaos’ asteroid Apophis won’t be crashing into Earth for at least another century

<br /><ul><li>Ufologolist Michael Horn claims that the '<keyword id="8002265" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="god-of-chaos">God of Chaos</keyword>' will strike Europe, the area between the North Sea and the Black Sea, when it visits Earth in 2029.</li><li>Horn believes the impact with crack the Earth open and let out massive gases, which would results in deaths within the immediate area.</li><li>NASA, on the other hand, claims that there is only a one in 45,000 chance that Apophis will be crash into the planet.</li></ul>The asteroid Aphophis — nicknamed the ‘God of Choas’ — will be zooming past the Earth in 2029.<br /><br />And if it crashes into planet instead, it will be somewhere over Europe, according to Michael Horn — a research scientist and representative for Billy Meier, a ufologist.<br /><br />Horn told the <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/1187996/Asteroid-NASA-latest-warning-news-God-of-Chaos-Apophis-update-Earth-impact-99942">Express</a> that he has the impact area narrowed down to between the Black Sea, which is on the eastern end of Europe, and the North Sea, which is in the northwest bordering the UK, Denmark and Norway.<br /><br /><br />
  <div type="image" title="asteroidmap_edited" msid="71537133" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Area between the North Sea and the Black Sea where Michael Horn believes the asteroid will strike&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



<br />He also dismisses NASA’s claim that the likelihood of a collision is one in 45,000. He insists it’s a certainty. <br /><br />The potential impact would be like 880 million tons of TNT exploding simultaneously. This would make it 65,000 times more destructive than the Hiroshima nuclear disaster.<br /><br /><strong>Earth will crack open<br /></strong><br />Horn believes that not only will the asteroid crash into the Earth, it will also crack it open. The split in the planet’s crust will release gases resulting in the death of millions in the immediate area, he told the <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/1187996/Asteroid-NASA-latest-warning-news-God-of-Chaos-Apophis-update-Earth-impact-99942">Express.</a><br /><br />Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, doesn’t believe that an impact is likely but does believe that the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/elon-musk-says-we-have-no-defence-against-asteroid-god-of-chaos/articleshow/70748251.cms">Earth has no defence</a> in such an event.<br /><br /><br />"A big rock will hit Earth eventually and we currently have no defence," he said commenting on ‘God of Chaos’.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7390">NASA</a> feels that the asteroid’s trajectory will definitely be affected by its close encounter will Earth and might even cause avalanches on the space object’s surface.<br /><br />The planet is no stranger to asteroid fly-bys but Apophis isn’t like other asteroids. Discovered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 2004, it’s bigger than most asteroids with a diameter of 340 meters.<br /><br />And, as it passes by, the ‘God of Chaos’ will be a little over 30,000 kilometers from the Earth’s surface — a distance at which many spacecraft’s orbit the planet.<br /><br /><strong>See also:<br /></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/elon-musk-says-we-have-no-defence-against-asteroid-god-of-chaos/articleshow/70748251.cms">Elon Musk says we have no defence against asteroid ‘God of Chaos'</a><br /><br /><br />

Ufologist claims the ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid will strike somewhere over Europe

<br /><ul><li>Apophis, the '<keyword id="8002265" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="god-of-chaos">God of Chaos</keyword>' asteroid will be passing by Earth on April 13, 2029.</li><li>The asteroid could do considerable damage if it were to collide into Earth. </li><li>According to Billionaire <keyword id="6355315" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="elon-musk">Elon Musk</keyword>, CEO and Founder of Tesla and SpaceX, the asteroid is coming and we have defence.</li></ul>Apophis, also known as the 'God of Chaos' asteroid, will be making its way to Earth in ten years. <br /><br />The odds of a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/what-is-asteroid-meteorite-and-meteor/articleshow/70654013.cms">head-on collision</a> with the 340 meter asteroid is one in 45,000. But as it passes by, it will all but brush with the Earth’s surface, coming as close as 30,000 kilometers. <br /><div type="image" title="PIA23195_hires (1)_edited" msid="70748398" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Trajectory of Apophis as it passes by Earth on April 13, 2029&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

<br />Should the ‘God of Chaos’ choose to shift even a little bit, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/what-happens-when-an-asteroid-actually-hits-earth/articleshow/70732006.cms">resulting impact will be catastrophic.</a> The after-effects will dwarf in comparison to any other asteroid that has ever hit Earth in human history. <br /><br /> <strong>We currently have no defence</strong><br /><br />Scientists speculate that it's only a matter of time before an asteroid hits Earth. The latest one to join the bandwagon is billionaire <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/its-been-100-years-since-weve-seen-anybody-like-elon-musk-heres-why-thats-so-disorienting/articleshow/69813958.cms">Elon Musk</a>, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. <br /><br />"A big rock will hit Earth eventually and we currently have no defence," he said commenting on God of Chaos. <br /><br /><div type="twitter" handle="elonmusk" handlename="Elon Musk" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1163316023023427584/8lXw0O2Y_normal.jpg" favoritecount="36171" retweetcount="4190" status="Great name! Wouldn’t worry about this particular one, but a big rock will hit Earth eventually &amp; we currently have… https://t.co/uTndl0Fvf6" createdat="1566163586000" id="1163200504811249664"></div>

<br />He is not wrong. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has instruments in place to study and protect Earth from an asteroid that could potentially be dangerous. But, it has no actual protocols in place to defend the planet in case an asteroid is on a collision course.<br /><br />NASA only announced its first Planetary Defence Technology Demonstration earlier this year. The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) will be the space agency's first mission to demonstrate its plans for how to defend itself.<br /><br /><strong>Earth's impact on the asteroid</strong><br /><br />Most people are usually worried about how an asteroid will impact Earth but few think about the impact Earth would have on an asteroid. <br /><br />The God of Chaos, for instance, won't be immune to the effects of a close encounter with Earth. The planet's gravitational field will definitely have an impact on the asteroid's orbit and could change the way Apophis spins, according to scientists at NASA. <br /><br />Interestingly, the gravitational pull could also result in surface change on Apophis and cause an avalanche.<br /><br /><strong>An opportunity for science</strong><br /><br />It's not uncommon for asteroids between 5-10 meters in size to pass by Earth but asteroids the size of Apophis are rare. They are fewer in number and don't normally cut this close to Earth.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="neo_edited" msid="70748377" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Famous fly-bys of Near Earth Objects (NEOs)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>
<br />"We'll observe the asteroid with both optical and radar telescopes. With radar observations, we might be able to see surface details that are only a few meters in size," said Marin Brozovic, a radar scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).<br /><br /><strong>See also:</strong><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/neil-degrasse-tyson-and-other-scientists-believe-asteroids-will-eventually-hit-earth/articleshow/70644547.cms">It might not be 'dinosaur destroying' but it's only a matter of time before an asteroid hits Earth</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/what-happens-when-an-asteroid-actually-hits-earth/articleshow/70732006.cms">What happens when an asteroid actually hits Earth</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/an-asteroid-nearly-half-the-size-of-mount-everest-might-be-on-a-collision-course-for-earth-in-less-than-a-year/articleshow/70698774.cms">An asteroid nearly half the size of Mount Everest might be on a collision course for Earth in less than a year</a><br /><br />

Elon Musk says we have no defence against asteroid ‘God of Chaos'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>NASA's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-spacecraft-asteroid-landing-osiris-rex-2020-10">OSIRIS-REx</a> has been traveling for seven years to get an asteroid sample to Earth.</li><li>It landed on the Bennu asteroid in 2020 and collected the sample but still had a long way home.</li></ul><p>NASA's OSIRIS-REx delivered an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-osiris-rex-asteroid-sample-scientists-bake-laser-slice-2023-9">asteroid sample</a> — the largest ever — to Earth on Sunday. </p><p>The spacecraft had traveled <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1705959691287761289" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3.86 billion miles</a> in space to complete its main objective. </p><p>Here's the harrowing story of this historic spacecraft and what's next for it.</p><h2>OSIRIS-REx launches<br /><a href="https://www.asteroidmission.org/ulaliftoff2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div type="image" title="The 2016 takeoff os OSIRIS-REx." height="2400" width="3199" msid="104027646" hostid="261"></div></a></h2><p>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-osirisrex-bennu-launch-atlas-v-rocket-2016-9">spacecraft launched</a> on September 8, 2016 on the Atlas V 411 rocket out of Cape Canaveral, Florida.</p><h2>The gravity assist</h2><div type="image" title="A photo of the Earth taken by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft in black-and-white showing cloud cover" height="750" width="1000" msid="104027649" hostid="261"></div><p>One of its first major maneuvers was to whip around Earth in what's called a gravity assist. Earth's gravity acts like a slingshot, propelling the spacecraft forward toward its distant target, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-predicts-exact-date-asteroid-hit-earth-atomic-bomb-bennu-2023-9">asteroid Bennu</a>. </p><h2>Orbiting Bennu</h2><div type="image" title="A black-and-white photo of the asteroid Bennu, which is round and full of craters" height="768" width="1024" msid="104027651" hostid="261"></div><p>In 2018, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/osiris-rex-asteroid-bennu-approach-nasa-tv-youtube-2018-12">OSIRIS reached Bennu</a> and began orbiting it.</p><h2>Collecting the sample</h2><div type="image" title="The sample collector from NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft touching the rocky surface of the asteroid Bennu" height="738" width="985" msid="104027653" hostid="261"></div><p>In 2020, the spacecraft closed in on its target and scooped up a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-osiris-rex-asteroid-spacecraft-stored-pounds-of-rock-2020-10">huge amount of regolith</a>, the dust and dirt from Bennu's rocky surface.</p><h2>A boulder-filled surface</h2><div type="image" title="OSIRIS REx collection" height="1312" width="1749" msid="104027655" hostid="261"></div><p>This was one of the most critical and dangerous moments for OSIRIS because the asteroid's terrain was rockier than researchers expected, and the boulders could have meant a rough landing. </p><h2>OSIRIS-REx makes contact</h2>    <p>Dante Lauretta, the mission's principal investigator, called the moment OSIRIS landed "transcendental." In the end, the spacecraft safely escaped Bennu's surface with its prize.</p><h2>A nerve-wracking leak</h2><div type="image" title="osiris rex gif particles falling out" height="492" width="656" msid="104027657" hostid="261"></div><p>Things nearly went awry when the container didn't close properly and<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-osiris-rex-asteroid-sample-leaking-into-space-2020-10"> dust started leaking out</a>. Luckily, the spaceship's controllers acted quickly to safely seal the sample in a capsule. Ultimately, NASA estimates OSIRIS returned with about <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-video-osiris-rex-probe-landing-on-asteroid-kicking-dust-2020-10">8.8 ounces</a>, or about half a pound, of dirt.</p><h2>A fly-by delivery</h2><div type="image" title="A black container attached to an orange-and-white parachute over the Utah desert" height="656" width="876" msid="104027659" hostid="261"></div><p>After collecting the largest asteroid sample ever brought to Earth, OSIRIS began its long journey home.</p><p>On September 24, 2023, it flew by Earth and delivered the asteroid sample to the Department of Defense's Utah Test and Training Range near Salt Lake City. </p><h2>Sample retrieval</h2><div type="image" title="Several people in white shirts gather around a silver garbage bag containing a sample from NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission" height="1499" width="1999" msid="104027662" hostid="261"></div><p>Recovery teams collected the sample from the desert. Some of the sample will be spliced and diced immediately, but some of it will be <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-preserve-asteroid-bennu-osiris-rex-samples-centuries-2023-9">preserved for future generations of scientists</a> to analyze for centuries to come.</p><h2>Headed to Houston</h2><div type="image" title="A metal shipping container marked fragile onboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft with several people in the background" height="900" width="1200" msid="104027664" hostid="261"></div><p>The sample is now at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. </p><p>"The asteroid sample poses no risk to Earth," according to NASA. "Bennu is an irradiated rock, and there is no chance that the sample could contain living organisms."</p><h2>Analyzing the sample</h2><div type="image" title="Several people in blue protective suits and mask use white gloves in a clean room containing a sample of the Bennu asteroid from NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission" height="864" width="1152" msid="104027666" hostid="261"></div><p>It will spend several weeks in a clean room before the regolith is sent to scientists all over the world.</p><p>"Those samples will be analyzed in the weeks, months, years, decades, really centuries to come," Noah Petro, a research space scientist with NASA, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-preserve-asteroid-bennu-osiris-rex-samples-centuries-2023-9">told Insider</a>.</p><h2>Why Bennu?</h2><div type="image" title="Bennu" height="697" width="930" msid="104027667" hostid="261"></div><p>Because Bennu is so old, scientists are hoping studying its dust will give us clues about how our solar system formed and help determine if asteroids <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/comets-brought-first-phosphorus-dna-chemical-to-earth-2020-1">carry the key chemicals</a> that ultimately helped lead to the rise of life on Earth.</p><h2>What's next for OSIRIS?</h2><div type="image" title="NASA Milky Way" height="1080" width="1440" msid="104027669" hostid="261"></div><p>OSIRIS's mission isn't over. It's headed to orbit another asteroid, Apophis, which it will reach in 2029.</p>

Photos show the 3.86 billion-mile journey of NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample mission from start to finish

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An <keyword id="6549794" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="asteroid">asteroid</keyword> called Apophis, after the ancient Egyptian god of chaos, will fly by <keyword id="6359982" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="earth">Earth</keyword> Friday night.</li><li>The space rock is more than 1,100 feet wide — wider than the Eiffel Tower is tall.</li><li>When Apophis returns in 2029, its path could intersect with high-altitude <keyword id="41530" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="satellites">satellites</keyword> in Earth's orbit.</li></ul><p>An asteroid nearly four football fields wide is about to zoom by Earth.</p><p>The space rock is named 99942 Apophis, after the ancient Egyptian god of chaos. It's is wider than the Eiffel Tower is tall: about 1,115 feet (340 meters).</p><p>On Friday night at 8:15 p.m. ET, the asteroid will come within 10.4 million miles of Earth's surface. That's about 44 times the distance between Earth and the moon. But Apophis' next close flyby, on April 13, 2029, will bring the asteroid within 19,000 miles of Earth - that's in between our planet and the moon. It will be the closest any asteroid of Apophis' size has come to Earth's surface that scientists have known about in advance, <a href="https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/asteroids-comets-and-meteors/asteroids/apophis/in-depth/">according to NASA</a>. </p><p>That future approach will even be close enough that the asteroid could collide with high-altitude communications satellites orbiting Earth.</p><p>The animation below shows what the distance between Apophis and Earth will be eight years from now. The blue dots represent orbiting satellites, and the International Space Station is in pink.</p><h2>Preparing for Apophis' return</h2><p>Apophis won't be visible to the naked eye tonight - you'd need a telescope with at least a foot-long diameter to see it. But Rome's <a href="https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virtual Telescope Project</a> is offering an online viewing session at 7 p.m. ET.</p><p>The asteroid's discovery made waves in 2004, since astronomers calculated at the time that there was a small chance it could hit the planet in 2029. <keyword id="6360409" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Nasa">NASA</keyword> scientists have since <a href="https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/asteroids-comets-and-meteors/asteroids/apophis/in-depth/">revised that estimate</a>.</p><p>"We have known for some time that an impact with Earth is not possible during the 2029 close approach," Dave Tholen, a researcher at the University of Hawai'i Institute for Astronomy who helped discover Apophis, <a href="https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2020/10/26/new-massive-asteroid-findings/">said in October</a>.</p><p>Every time an asteroid nears Earth, it's a chance for astronomers to study the space rock and learn about its shape and spin.</p><p>When scientists first spotted Apophis in June 2004, they had just two days to inspect it before weather and technical issues got in the way. No images exist of the rock's surface. So this imminent close pass, as well as the one in 2029, will help scientists investigate Apophis' composition.</p><p>"The Apophis close approach in 2029 will be an incredible opportunity for <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">science</keyword>," Marina Brozović, a radar scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said <a href="https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/923/scientists-planning-now-for-asteroid-flyby-a-decade-away/">in 2019</a>. "We'll observe the asteroid with both optical and radar telescopes. With radar observations, we might be able to see surface details that are only a few meters in size."</p><p>During that 2029 flyby, Apophis will be visible to the naked eye, appearing as a fast-moving point of light that starts in the night sky over the Southern Hemisphere and moves across the globe from east to west.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PLIAgXjV9o&amp;t=16s=16s">NASA animation</a> below shows Apophis' path on April 13, 2029.</p><h2>Apophis has a 1 in 380,000 chance of striking Earth in 2068</h2><p>Apophis originated from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. So far, NASA knows it is made up of silicate rocks, nickel, and iron. Radar images suggest it looks <a href="https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/asteroids-comets-and-meteors/asteroids/apophis/in-depth/">like a peanut</a>.</p><p>After 2029, Apophis will have more near-Earth encounters, passing by again in 2036 and 2068. There's no chance of an impact in 2036, but <a href="https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/sentry/details.html#?des=99942">NASA calculations</a> suggest a 1 in 380,000 chance that Apophis could strike in 2068.</p><p>Until last year, astronomers thought it was impossible that Apophis would strike Earth in 2068, but that changed after Tholen's team presented <a href="https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2020/10/26/new-massive-asteroid-findings/">new research</a> at the annual meeting of the <a href="https://aas.org/">American Astronomical Society</a>. The group showed the asteroid was changing speed and direction over time.</p><div type="image" title="asteroid vesta" height="1001" width="1334" msid="81358973" hostid="261"></div><p>These changes come from a process known as Yarkovsky acceleration: As <keyword id="81841" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Asteroids">asteroids</keyword> absorb energy from the sun, they radiate the energy out as heat, which slightly changes their orbital paths.</p><p>The recent research found that this is happening to Apophis.</p><p>The asteroid's orbit is shifting by about 558 feet per year, Tholen said - which is "enough to keep the 2068 impact scenario in play."</p>

An Eiffel Tower-sized asteroid is about to whiz by Earth. When it returns in 8 years, it could cross paths with our satellites.

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>A 1,100-foot-wide rock named 99942 Apophis is on course to pass close to Earth on Friday, April 13, 2029.</li><li>The asteroid will be 19,000 miles above the earth's surface and visible to the naked eye.</li><li>It is rare for an asteroid of this size to pass Earth so closely, according to NASA.</li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.</a></strong></li></ul><p>A massive<span>&#xa0;</span><a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/topic/asteroid" data-vars-item-name="BL-4132766-/topic/asteroid" data-vars-event-id="c23">asteroid</a><span>&#xa0;</span>will be visible to the naked eye when it passes close to&#xa0;<a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/topic/earth" data-vars-item-name="BL-4132766-/topic/earth" data-vars-event-id="c23">Earth</a><span>&#xa0;</span>within the same distance as spacecraft that orbit the planet, according to&#xa0;<a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/topic/nasa" data-vars-item-name="BL-4132766-/topic/nasa" data-vars-event-id="c23">NASA</a>. &#xa0;</p><p>The 1,100-foot-wide rock named 99942 Apophis will shoot across the sky like a "moving star-like point of light", getting brighter and faster on Friday April 13 2029.</p><p>At 19,000 miles above the earth's surface, it will first become visible to the naked eye in the night sky over the Southern Hemisphere from the east coast to the west coast of Australia.</p><p>The asteroid will then pass across the Indian ocean, moving west above Africa, then travelling above the Atlantic Ocean in just an hour, reaching the US by the evening.</p><p>&#xa0;</p><p>It is rare for an asteroid of this size to pass Earth so closely, according to&#xa0;NASA, which says&#xa0;that smaller asteroids from 10-20 metres have been spotted at similar distances but those the size of&#xa0;Apophis&#xa0;are much fewer.</p><div cnx-creative-type="VideoMonetization"><p>NASA scientists discussed the observation and science opportunities for the celestial event at the 2019 Planetary Defence Conference in Maryland on Tuesday.</p><p>According to researchers, Apophis will travel more than the width of the full moon within a minute and will shine as bright as the stars in the Little Dipper constellation.</p><p>"The Apophis close approach in 2029 will be an incredible opportunity for science," said Marina Brozović, a radar scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.</p><p>"We'll observe the asteroid with both optical and radar telescopes.</p><p>"With radar observations, we might be able to see surface details that are only a few meters in size."</p><p>When a team of astronomers at the Kitt Peak National Observatory discovered Apophis in 2004, initial orbital calculations revealed that the asteroid had a 2.7% chance of impacting Earth in 2029.</p><p>However, additional observations completely ruled out that possibility, showing that Apophis still has a small chance of impacting Earth -&#xa0;less than 1 in 100,000 - many decades from now.</p><p>Davide Farnocchia, an astronomer at JLP's Center for Near Earth Objects Studies said: "We already know that the close encounter with Earth will change Apophis' orbit, but our models also show the close approach could change the way this asteroid spins, and it is possible that there will be some surface changes, like small avalanches."</p><p>"Apophis is a representative of about 2,000 currently known Potentially Hazardous Asteroids," said Paul Chodas, director of CNEOS. "By observing Apophis during its 2029 flyby, we will gain important scientific knowledge that could one day be used for planetary defence."</p></div><div></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/karlmann-king-worlds-most-expensive-suv-2019-4">The Karlmann King is a $2 million enormous ultra-luxury SUV built upon a Ford F-550</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

A 1,100-foot-wide asteroid is on course to pass by Earth in a decade

<ul><li>The <keyword id="9126209" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="biggest-asteroid-of-2020">biggest asteroid of 2020</keyword> — Asteroid 52768 (1998 OR2) — didn’t get the memo that Earth is under lockdown.</li><li>It will be zooming past the planet on April 29.</li><li>It will be 6.3 million kilometres from Earth, which is the closest that it’s come to the planet since it was discovered in 1998.</li></ul>The <keyword id="9126211" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="biggest-asteroid-of-the-year">biggest asteroid of the year</keyword> — Asteroid 52768 (1998 OR2) — is expected to fly past the planet April 29. Earth may be in lockdown but the asteroid is ensuring that its taking the necessary precautions as it slowly edges closer.<br /><br />According to astronomers at the <keyword id="2838422" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="arecibo-observatory">Arecibo Observatory</keyword> in Puerto Rico, the asteroid 'looks like' its wearing a mask due the mountains and ridges on its surface. <br />And, it will remain 6.3 million kilometres away— 16 times further away than the Moon — at its closest approach to Earth. <br /><br />The asteroid has been classified as ‘potentially hazardous’ by the Centre of Near-Earth Object Studies (<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/the-10-biggest-asteroids-that-pose-a-threat-to-earth-in-2020/articleshow/73054066.cms">CNEOS</a>). This is because it’s bigger than 140 meters in size and will be under 8 million kilometres from Earth, which is enough to cause ‘global effects’ if it were to crash into the planet. <br /><br /><div type="twitter" handle="esaoperations" handlename="ESA Operations" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/882544568805273600/AUXk6tLR_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1301" retweetcount="455" status="Wow. Asteroid 1998 OR2 tumbling through space seen by the Arecibo observatory.They confirm the space rock is ~ 2… https://t.co/FftLbcbqbe" createdat="1587731201000" id="1253661639896956928"></div><br />However, an analysis by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Asteroid Watch shows it has no plans of actually breaching the Earth’s atmosphere.<br /><br /><div type="twitter" handle="AsteroidWatch" handlename="NASA Asteroid Watch" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/509040235900964864/EmVTcmUe_normal.jpeg" favoritecount="3977" retweetcount="1226" status="Have you been hearing about asteroid 1998 OR2’s close approach on April 29? Rest assured that this asteroid will sa… https://t.co/VspuLPMqJU" createdat="1586888870000" id="1250128648360931332"></div><br />“The small-scale topographic features such as hills and ridges on one end of <keyword id="9126210" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="asteroid-1998-OR2">asteroid 1998 OR2</keyword> are fascinating scientifically. But since we are all thinking about COVID-19 these features make it look like 1998 OR2 remembered to wear a mask,” said <a href="https://www.ucf.edu/news/asteroid-visiting-earths-neighborhood-brings-its-own-face-mask/">Anne Virkki</a>, head of Planetary Radar at the observatory. <br /><br /><div type="twitter" handle="AreciboRadar" handlename="Arecibo Radar" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/764109379868033024/pZFALCH9_normal.jpg" favoritecount="593" retweetcount="248" status="#TeamRadar and the @NAICobservatory staff are taking the proper safety measures as we continue observations. This w… https://t.co/GtlWyHbg2H" createdat="1587248883000" id="1251638650682650630"></div><br />The asteroid’s visit on April 29 will be the closest that it has been to the planet since its discovery on 24 July 1988 by NEAT at Haleakala. The only time that it will be any close will be on 16 April 2079, according to NASA’s <a href="https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=52768;old=0;orb=0;cov=0;log=0;cad=1#cad">estimates</a>.<br /><br />“In 2079, asteroid 1998 OR2 will pass Earth about 3.5 times closer than it will this year, so it is important to know its orbit precisely,” said Flaviane Venditti, another research scientists at the Arecibo Observatory.<br /><br />“Although this asteroid is not projected to impact Earth, it is important to understand the characteristics of these types of objects to improve impact-risk mitigation technologies,” Virkki added.<br /><br />Until the Apophis or 'God of Chaos' asteroid comes around on 2029 or Asteroid 2011 UL 21 passes by in 2024, the upcoming trip of 1998 OR 2 will be the most significant of the decade.<br /><br /><strong>See also:</strong><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/the-10-biggest-asteroids-that-pose-a-threat-to-earth-in-2020/articleshow/73054066.cms">The 10 biggest asteroids that pose a threat to Earth in 2020</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/there-are-19-interstellar-asteroids-between-jupiter-and-neptune-and-even-computers-cant-predict-where-they-are-headed/articleshow/75350530.cms">There are 19 interstellar asteroids between Jupiter and Neptune ⁠— and even computers can’t predict where they are headed</a><br />

The biggest asteroid of 2020 will zoom past Earth on April 29 — adhering to 'social distancing' and even wearing a mask

<ul><li>The <keyword id="1562308" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chelyabinsk-Meteor">Chelyabinsk meteor</keyword> exploded over Russia with a force of 40 Hiroshima nuclear bombs. </li><li>Damage stretched for 500 square kilometers, destroying 7,200 building and injuring over 1,400 people in its wake.</li><li>But it could have been even worse had it exploded closer to earth like the Tunguska event. </li></ul>As many as 800 asteroids are hovering around Earth, posing many a risk.<br /><br />Some are particularly dangerous like the Apophis asteroid — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/elon-musk-says-we-have-no-defence-against-asteroid-god-of-chaos/articleshow/70748251.cms">God of Chaos</a> — that is supposed whiz past earth in 2029. There is another asteroid which is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/an-asteroid-nearly-half-the-size-of-mount-everest-might-be-on-a-collision-course-for-earth-in-less-than-a-year/articleshow/70698774.cms">half the size of Mount Everest</a> and is expected to pass by the planet in less than a year. <br /><br />But, these are just the ones we know about. <br /><br />In 2013, a space object entered the Earth’s atmosphere and exploded with such a force — equivalent to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/russian-meteor-hit-atmosphere-with-a-force-of-40-hiroshima-bombs/articleshow/21343758.cms">440,000 tons of TNT</a> — that it damaged buildings for 500 square kilometers. And, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/The-unsettling-reasons-no-one-saw-the-Chelyabinsk-meteor-over-Russia-coming-and-why-it-could-happen-again/articleshow/51898217.cms">nobody saw it coming</a>.<br /><br /><div type="Youtube" id="iCawTYPtehk" title="Взрыв метеорита над Челябинском  15.02.2013.avi" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iCawTYPtehk/mqdefault.jpg"></div>

<br /><strong>Chelyabinsk meteor<br /></strong><br />Dubbed the Chelyabinsk meteor after its point of impact in Russia, the house-sized asteroid was a ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/nasa-chief-warns-people-need-to-take-the-threat-of-a-meteor-crashing-into-earth-much-more-seriously/articleshow/69146504.cms">cosmic wake-up call</a>’, according to NASA’s Planetary Defense Officer <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/five-years-after-the-chelyabinsk-meteor-nasa-leads-efforts-in-planetary-defense">Lindley Johnson</a>.<br /><br />The meteor exploded a mere 30 kilometers from the Earth’s surface over a region that was home to around a million people. <br /><br /><br /><div type="image" title="99738-790f0-64394570-m750x740-uf6c6e_edited" msid="70782724" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A picture taken of the Chelyabinsk meteor&amp;#39;s smoke trail with the double plumes visible either side.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

<br />The explosion was so bright — even 30 times brighter than the Sun for a moment — that it could be seen from a 100 kilometers away right before windows were shattered, doors were broken, walls were brought down and even whole factories collapsed. <br /><br /><div type="image" title="640px-Цинковый_завод_Челябинска_edited" msid="70782795" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The shock from the meteor resulted in a roof  collapse over the warehouse section of a zinc factory in Chelyabinsk&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

<br />Over 7,200 buildings expanding across six cities in Chelyabinsk were damaged by the effects of the blast.<br /><br /><br /><div type="image" title="99738-adca5-64394583-m750x740-ue53ea_edited" msid="70782851" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Leftover glass shards after windows exploded in Chelyabinsk&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

<br />Over 1,400 people were injured in the blast according to Russian authorities. The effects of the asteroid ranged from broken spines to ultra violet burns on their skin. Some people also reported temporary flash blindness from looking directly at the meteor.<br /><br />The entire <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/Russians-Thought-The-Meteor-Was-A-Bomb-Or-Terrorist-Attack/The-meteor-the-largest-reported-since-one-hit-Tunguska-Siberia-1908-exploded-over-the-Russian-city-of-Chelyabinsk-on-Friday-morning-Feb-15-in-that-region-/slideshow/21335141.cms">damage to Chelyabinsk</a> in terms of monetary loss came up to around $33 million at the time, according to the oblast governor.<br /><br /><strong>Thrice the size, four times the damage<br /></strong><br />The Chelyabinsk meteor exploded above the surface of the planet and was still able to inflict damage for miles.<br /><br />Had the meteor actually crashed into the Earth — the resulting destruction would have been on a much larger scale.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/TUNGUSKA-106-Years-Ago-A-Mysterious-Explosion-1000x-More-Powerful-Than-The-Hiroshima-Bomb-Rocked-Siberia/articleshow/37532646.cms">Tunguska meteor</a> that hit the Earth in 1908 — the largest known natural object to enter the planet’s atmosphere ever — flattened 2,000 square kilometers of forest. <br /><br /><div type="image" title="tu" msid="70782916" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Impact of the Tunguska meteor&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

<br />Even though the difference in size between the two meteors is only around 45 meters, the damage was much greater since Tunguska disintegrated only 10 kilometers from the planet’s surface.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="517px-Tunguska_and_Chelyabinsk_meteoroid_size_edited" msid="70782963" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Size comparison of the Tunguska meteor (TM) and the Chelyabinsk meteor (CM) to the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

<br />So, instead of exploding with the energy of 440,000 tons — Tunguska dispelled around <a href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1983AREPS..11..461S">15 megatons</a> of TNT, which is 1,000 times the amount of energy of the atomic bomb dropped over Hiroshima.<br /><br />It should be noted that there is some disagreement over the exact might of the explosion with <a href="https://share.sandia.gov/news/resources/releases/2007/asteroid.html">supercomputer estimates stating</a> that it was only around 3 megatons while a <a href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2019Icar..327...83W">new study</a> published in 2019 estimates it to be around 20-30 megatons.<br /><br />The main difference between the two asteroid events was that with Chelyabinsk occurred in a highly populated region, the Tunguska event occurred in a sparsely populated area.<br /><br />Tunguska and Chelyabinsk meteors aren’t the only examples of asteroids that hit Earth — they’re only the largest and the most recent, respectively. In 1930, asteroids are said to have exploded over the Curuca River in Brazil and an iron meteorite fell on the Sikhote Alin Mountains in 1947.<br /><br /><strong>See also:<br /></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/an-asteroid-nearly-half-the-size-of-mount-everest-might-be-on-a-collision-course-for-earth-in-less-than-a-year/articleshow/70698774.cms">An asteroid nearly half the size of Mount Everest might be on a collision course for Earth in less than a year</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/elon-musk-says-we-have-no-defence-against-asteroid-god-of-chaos/articleshow/70748251.cms">Elon Musk says we have no defence against asteroid ‘God of Chaos'</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/what-happens-when-an-asteroid-actually-hits-earth/articleshow/70732006.cms">What happens when an asteroid actually hits Earth</a><br />

The last major asteroid to hit Earth destroyed 500 square kilometers — and it could have been much worse

<br /> <keyword id="70509" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Friday-the-13th">Friday the 13th</keyword> hits back at us with a hatrick this year. Research shows that millions of people all over the world are hit by its fear, so much so that some even refuses to go out of their houses. So how did the fear start? <br /><br />

	Here are five interesting things associated with the day.
<br /><br />

	1.<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>How did it start?
<br /><br /> The fear is associated with the crucifixion of Lord Jesus as he was crucified on a Friday and his last supper, just the day before, was with <keyword id="380963" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="13">13</keyword> guests. Since, then Christians consider this day as an unlucky day for them <br /><br />

	2.<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>It has a an official name
<br /><br />

	Fear of the number 13 is scientifically called "triskaidekaphobia". Fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobi.
<br /><br />

	3.<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>No, you are not unlucky if you are born on this day
<br /><br />

	Taylor Swift's lucky number is 13. She made herself a huge sensation of the world using the number 13.
<br /><br />

	4.<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>The month with this day starts with a Sunday
<br /><br />

	Check the calendar if you may.
<br /><br />

	5.<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>No, the world will not be destroyed by the giant asteroid Apophis in 2029 as predicted by astrologists in 2004 when it was founded.
<br /><br />

	There have been many changing theories about the asteroid since then, which proves the prediction is unlikely to be true.<br />
	<br />
	(Image credits:hauntedamericatours )
<br /><br />

Friday the 13th: 5 interesting things you need to know

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Right now, Russia is making plans to launch missiles into space. The target: A large asteroid named 99942 Apophis, which is scheduled to pass close to - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99942_Apophis">but not impact</a> - Earth in the years 2029, 2036, and 2068.<p>The idea is to eventually build a network of missiles that could destroy - at a moment's notice - oncoming asteroids or comets between 65 to 165 feet wide, <a href="http://tass.ru/en/science/855968">reported</a> the Russian state-owned news agency TASS.</p><p>While a space rock 165 feet across wouldn't be enough to wipe out all life on Earth, it could cause catastrophic damage if it were to land in a populated city.</p><p>The Chelyabinsk meteor, for example, that exploded over Russia in 2013 was about 65 feet wide. The explosion and resulting shockwave sent 1,500 people to the hospital and damaged 7,200 buildings across six cities.</p><p>What's so scary about the Chelyabinsk meteor is that - despite a <a href="http://earthsky.org/space/heres-how-often-small-asteroids-enter-earths-atmosphere">growing interest</a> in detecting and cataloging life-threatening space rocks - no one knew it was coming until the moment the fireball burst into view:</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>But what if Russia had known the meteor was going to strike? There's a likely chance that they couldn't have done anything to stop it.<p>"Most rockets work on boiling fuel. Their fueling begins 10 days before the launch and, therefore, they are unfit for destroying meteorites similar to the Chelyabinsk meteorite in diameter, which are detected several hours before coming close to the Earth," Sabit Saitgarayev, the leading researcher at Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau, <a href="http://tass.ru/en/science/855968">told TASS</a>.</p><p>To prevent a future event similar to the Chelyabinsk meteor, Saitgarayev wants to use Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which stand fueled and ready to fire at a moment's notice.</p><p>ICBMs are the type of nuclear warheads that the US and USSR had pointed toward each other during the Cold War, though it's not clear whether Russia would attach nuclear weapons to their missiles, or something else.</p><p>Before Russia can start firing their ICBMs at asteroids and comets, however, Saitgarayev says that the missiles need an upgrade, which TASS reports will cost "several million US dollars and the authorities' permission."</p><p>After all, under the <a href="http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/treaties/introouterspacetreaty.html">Outer Space Treaty</a>, it's illegal to detonate nuclear weapons in space - for better or worse.</p><p>More unsettling, is that Russia is asking for millions of dollars for a project that has little immediate use. Impacts like that Chelyabinsk meteor are rare - and impacts from even larger objects, like 165 feet across, are extremely rare.</p><p>The last time a meteor the size of Chelyabinsk struck Earth was in 1908. At that rate, we shouldn't expect to see another event like this until the next century. Russia might be better off funding its <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russian-space-agency-gets-major-budget-cut-for-the-next-decade-2015-12">struggling space program</a> than investing in a missile system that could be well out of date by the time it's ready for use.</p><p>Plus, firing explosives at an asteroid isn't the best idea for preventing an impact:</p><p><div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/outer-space-treaty-prevents-countries-from-owning-moon-2016-2">This is why no one can legally own the Moon</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="hqd3VsMDE6fVu-FqwYxpfcf0wgwQqeBv" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Russia has plans to build missiles for space that could be fired at a moment's notice

<p><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><p class="source">Shutterstock</p></div>Theoretical physicist Dr. Michio Kaku appeared on Comedy Central's "<a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/full-episodes/tue-february-26-2013-dr--michio-kaku">The Colbert Report</a>" last night to discuss the potential of Earth-smashing asteroids. </p>
<p>Even small asteroids, like the one <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-meteor-aftermath-photos-2013-2">that recently exploded over Russia</a>, can cause disaster. It caused thousands of injuries from the shockwave that blew out windows and shook buildings.</p>
<p>These are called "century asteroids" because they hit the Earth on average about once every 100 years. The <keyword id="41531" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="space">space</keyword> rocks generally go unnoticed because they explode over the open ocean, but if they hit a populated area it could spell disaster.</p>
<p>And as cities spread out and grow, these asteroids become more of a threat to humans.</p>
<p>"We were blissfully unaware of the fact that we've had near misses and actual collisions with objects about the size of an apartment building," Kaku pointed out.  </p>
<p>So far the asteroids we've encountered have been "city-busters," says Kaku. But in 2036 we will have a "nation-buster." </p>
<p>Kaku is referring the <a href="http://www.astrobio.net/pressrelease/3836/alert-to-the-approach-of-asteroid-apophis">Asteroid Apophis</a>, an <keyword id="6549794" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="asteroid">asteroid</keyword> 10 times bigger than the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/live-building-sized-asteroid-nears-earth-2013-2">one that skimmed Earth earlier this month</a>. According to Kaku, the asteroid will graze Earth's atmosphere in 2029. Depending on how much friction is created during that flyby, there is a window of opportunity that it could hit on its next pass in 2036.</p>
<p>What can we do? Experts have some dramatic plans up their sleeves.</p>
<p>Kaku says some plans include landing on a potentially hazardous space rock and placing a rocket on it to push it "slightly out of the way so that on the second pass it misses Earth."</p>
<p>An Armageddon-like tactic (exploding nukes in an asteroid) wouldn't work because blowing up a big, solid asteroid would just make hundreds of little baby asteroids that can spread out the damage making the impact equally, if not more, dangerous</p>
<p>Astronomers are also watching the skies for <keyword id="51550" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="comets">comets</keyword>. <keyword id="1400230" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Comet-ISON">Comet ISON</keyword>, dubbed the "<a href="http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/18jan_cometison/">comet of the century</a>" by <keyword id="6360409" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="NASA">NASA</keyword>, will make its closest approach to the Sun in late November. If the comet survives, "it could emerge glowing as brightly as the Moon, briefly visible near the sun in broad daylight," says NASA.</p>
<p>Comets are different from asteroids for a number of reasons. The biggest difference is that asteroids are mostly made of rock and metals whereas comets are made of rock and ice. Comets come from the outer solar system and have a tail, made by ice vaporizing as the comet nears the sun. Nearly <span>all asteroids orbit in the region of space between Mars and Jupiter.</span></p>
<p>The <span>Comet ISON </span>was discovered in September 2012 by Russian astronomers Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok. It poses no threat of crashing into Earth but should make for an amazing sight.</p>

You Searched For "apophis 2029" and got 12 results

Apophis, the ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid is speeding up — increasing the likelihood of it hitting Earth in 2068

Prabhjote Gill

‘God of Chaos’ asteroid Apophis won’t be crashing into Earth for at least another century

Prabhjote Gill

Ufologist claims the ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid will strike somewhere over Europe

Prabhjote Gill

Elon Musk says we have no defence against asteroid ‘God of Chaos'

Prabhjote Gill

Photos show the 3.86 billion-mile journey of NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample mission from start to finish

Jenny McGrath

An Eiffel Tower-sized asteroid is about to whiz by Earth. When it returns in 8 years, it could cross paths with our satellites.

Aylin Woodward

A 1,100-foot-wide asteroid is on course to pass by Earth in a decade

Rebecca Speare-Cole

The biggest asteroid of 2020 will zoom past Earth on April 29 — adhering to 'social distancing' and even wearing a mask

Prabhjote Gill

The last major asteroid to hit Earth destroyed 500 square kilometers — and it could have been much worse

Prabhjote Gill

Friday the 13th: 5 interesting things you need to know

Usha Rani Das

Russia has plans to build missiles for space that could be fired at a moment's notice

Jessica Orwig

A 'Nation-Busting' Asteroid Could Hit Earth In 2036

Dina Spector

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides