Apophis 99942 is a 370-metre-wide near-Earth orbit space rock that continues to pose a destructive threat. Initial observations from NASA in 2004 revealed a probability of 2.7% that it could strike Earth in 2029. Further developments later ruled that date out, claiming it would pass through a gravitational keyhole setting up a future impact in 2036.
By late 2008, the probability that Apophis would pass through the gravitational keyhole was determined to be very small, ruling out an impact in 2036.
However, the threat is not completely eliminated.
NASA later admitted on February 21, 2013, there is a 150,000/1 chance of a direct impact with Earth in 2068.
Jay Melosh, an American geophysicist specialising in impact cratering, played out the shocking scenario on Amazon Prime’s “Asteroid Trackers”.
Apophis is heading to Earth in 2068 (Image: GETTY)
