On April 13, 2029 the Earth will have a close encounter of the asteroidal kind.
The asteroid in question was initially thought to have a possibility of hitting the Earth or the Moon (a.k.a. "Luna" for those who have never lived there).
However, further observations reveal that it won’t hit either body but will snake its way between them (see image on left).
There is, however, a 1 in 5560 chance that the asteroid will smack into us exactly 17 years later, on April 13, 2036.
When it swings by in 2029 the asteroid will be big enough to see with the naked eye. If it hits in 2036 it’ll look even bigger.
The asteroid was discovered by a group of astronomers reportedly including fans of the show Stargate SG-1, which may have affected the name they gave to the asteroid: . . . Apophis.
But if these guys are really fans of Stargate, shouldn’t Asteroid Apophis instead be named Asteroid Anubis?
