The asteroid "God of Chaos" will come closer to Earth than satellites in 2029, and both the U.S., Europe, and Russia plan to send missions to observe it.

China also plans to launch a "Pathfinder" spacecraft to conduct multi-angle observations before and after Apophis's flyby.

Reported by Space News on April 13.

A rare celestial spectacle will unfold on Friday, April 13, 2029, when asteroid Apophis will soar over Europe and Africa, passing closer to Earth than any satellite—an event truly once-in-a-lifetime.

At that time, a rare, naked-eye-visible asteroid will illuminate the night sky.

After sunset, the Sahara Desert cools rapidly, and the stars of April soon adorn the heavens.

Beneath this stellar tapestry, a new light appears—one unlike anything ordinary, older than Earth’s continents, older than life itself, having drifted through space for billions of years—a messenger of chaos, visiting only briefly.

On Friday, April 13, 2029, the night sky will tell a legend forged over billions of years.

At its closest approach, it will come within about 32,000 kilometers—closer than Earth’s geostationary satellites.

Its brightness will be visible to the naked eye under dark skies—but only from specific locations.

An asteroid this large approaching Earth so closely happens only once every few thousand years.

April 13, 2029, was once predicted to be the unluckiest day in Earth’s history.

The asteroid Apophis, discovered in 2004, initially drew global attention because early calculations suggested a potential collision with Earth—hence its name derived from the ancient Egyptian god of chaos.

This is the first time scientists will witness such an event, and space agencies around the world are preparing accordingly.

The European Space Agency proposes the "Ramesses" mission, planned for launch in 2028, aiming to conduct close-range observations of the asteroid before and after its Earth flyby. Meanwhile, NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX mission intends to enter orbit around Apophis in June 2029 to study the effects of Earth’s close flyby on the asteroid.

Russia is developing plans to launch a probe toward it prior to 2029.

Chinese scientists proposed the concept of a flyby mission to Apophis as early as 2017.

The timing of Apophis’s flyby coincides with a new moon and Jupiter’s opposition, so perhaps the gods who govern chaos might smile upon us, humble asteroid pilgrims.

In the comments section, user Newton Carnero said: “It’s truly amazing—so many news updates about this technology! Even more exciting is the asteroid expected to fly by in April 2029. Perhaps by then a satellite will be launched, allowing us to learn its size, speed, and even length. Thank you so much!”

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862398204292104/

Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author.