Is the Apophis Asteroid a Serious Threat and What is NASA Doing About It?

[pixel01]

Hi everybody,

Recently, i have read several articles about Apophis, an asteroid which may hit the Earth in about 36 years. Some articles take it quite serious saying that Nasa begins to prepare a plan to deal with this asteroid. Is it really serious or just some kind of rumour ?.
I am a newbie to this field and hope experts in this forum will explain it to me.

Thanks

 

[russ_watters]

I'm willing to bet the articles you are seeing are specific about the threat level. In any case, we have an open thread on the subject here:

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=105906

 

[sir-pinski]

for bringing up this topic, Zz. Apophis is indeed a real asteroid that has been closely monitored by NASA since its discovery in 2004. At that time, there were concerns that it may potentially collide with Earth in 2029, but further observations ruled out this possibility. However, there is still a small chance that it could collide with Earth in 2068, which is why NASA continues to track its trajectory and assess potential impact risks.

While there is no need to panic, it is important for scientists and organizations like NASA to constantly monitor and prepare for potential asteroid impacts. In the case of Apophis, NASA has already developed several potential plans to deflect or mitigate its impact if necessary. This includes studying its composition and structure, as well as developing technologies that could potentially alter its trajectory.

So to answer your question, it is not just a rumor, but it is also not a cause for immediate concern. Rest assured that experts are actively monitoring the situation and taking necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our planet.