Historically rare for a body of this size to come that close, the 2029 pass marks a milestone in human capability to observe such an event in real time.

Although 2029 was initially flagged as a possible impact year, ongoing monitoring shows no collision risk for at least 100 years.

The event is visible to the naked eye under favorable conditions, and Apophis is expected to be seen as it passes by.

NASA confirms that Apophis, a 1,230-foot (about 375 meters) asteroid nicknamed the God of Chaos, will pass within roughly 20,000 miles (about 32,000 kilometers) of Earth in 2029, closer than many satellites and far closer than the Moon’s average distance.

The 2029 flyby will be an extraordinary close approach for an object of its size and offers a rare opportunity for scientists to study a large near-Earth asteroid up close and to observe potential gravitational effects on Earth and the asteroid.

Initial discovery in 2004 raised early impact concerns, but radar observations, including updates through 2021, have effectively ruled out any chance of collision for at least the next century.

ESA and NASA plan to accompany the flyby with the RAMSES mission to study how Earth’s gravity warps Apophis and to observe changes up close.

Early impact risk estimates, which once suggested a 2.7% chance, were refined by radar data in 2021, eliminating the immediate threat and setting a long-term safety outlook.

Observations indicate this will be the closest approach of such a large object to Earth and could have measurable effects on tides and the asteroid’s spin state.

There is no threat to Earth during this flyby; the data gathered will significantly advance understanding of near-Earth asteroids and gravitational interactions.

Following 2029, Apophis is anticipated to return for another close approach in 2036, though not as near as in 2029.

The flyby will be a landmark event in planetary defense and asteroid science, underscoring ongoing international collaboration in space safety.