What is ‘God of chaos’ asteroid and why Apophis’s trajectory has experts worried? | Technology News
A massive asteroid, known as 99942 Apophis or the ‘God of Chaos’, has had its trajectory reevaluated, sparking concerns it may be on a collision course with Earth. Initially discovered in 2004, Apophis was previously thought to have a 2.7% chance of impacting our planet in 2029.
However, further observations led scientists to rule out any potential impact in 2029 or 2036. Nevertheless, the asteroid’s revised path has raised new concerns about its future trajectory and potential threat to Earth.
Recent research by Canadian space expert Paul Wiegert has reignited discussions about Apophis’s potential risk. Wiegert’s findings suggest that while Apophis is on track for a close approach, its trajectory could shift if it collides with a smaller object in space.
He estimates that the odds of such an event happening and altering the asteroid’s course toward Earth are roughly one in two billion.
In his analysis, Wiegert explains that for Apophis to change its trajectory, a smaller object at least 3.4 meters in size would need to hit the asteroid at a speed exceeding 510 meters per second, according to a report by The Mirror US.
He further calculates that even if the asteroid’s path were altered by a slight nudge, the probability of it being redirected towards Earth is extremely low, at just 5%.
To put this into perspective, the chances of a catastrophic collision are less than 1 in 2 billion, making it an incredibly remote possibility – roughly equivalent to winning the lottery several times over.
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Wiegert highlights that Apophis has been unmonitored since May 2021 and will remain so until 2027 due to its position relative to Earth and the Sun.
Despite reassurances that a collision is highly unlikely, Apophis remains one of the largest asteroids to pass so close to Earth in recent history.
The unpredictable nature of its path, combined with the challenges of continuous monitoring, ensures that the asteroid continues to keep experts vigilant as its 2029 approach nears.
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