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99942 Apophis (provisional designation 2004 MN 4) is a near-Earth asteroid and a potentially hazardous object, 450 metres (1,480 ft) by 170 metres (560 ft) in size, [3] that caused a brief period of concern in December 2004 when initial observations indicated a probability of 2.7% that it would hit Earth on Friday, 13 April 2029.
Further observations eventually allowed astronomers in 2021 to rule out the possibility of an impact when Apophis makes the close flyby to Earth in April 2029. There's also no risk during another ...
99942 Apophis – a near-Earth asteroid that will pass within geosynchronous orbit in 2029. Radar astrometry from observations by Ostro's group have been essential to predicting Apophis' trajectory. To explore the dynamical implications of these observations in detail, Ostro collaborated with Steven Chesley, Jon D. Giorgini, Scott Hudson , Jean ...
One example of such a follow-up observation was for 3671 Dionysus by UKIRT, the world's largest infrared telescope at the time (1997). [64] A second example was the 2013 ESA Herschel Space Observatory follow-up observations of 99942 Apophis, which showed it was 20% larger and 75% more massive than previously estimated. [65]
A series of later, more accurate observations of 99942 Apophis, combined with the recovery of previously unseen data, revised the odds of a collision in 2036 as being virtually nil, and effectively ruled it out.
There was at that time still some uncertainty about potential impacts during later close approaches. However, as the precision of orbital calculations improved due to additional observations, the risk of impact at any date was completely eliminated by 2021. [93] Consequently, Apophis was removed from the Sentry Risk Table. [85]
Ramses, or Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety, is a proposed ESA mission to a near-Earth asteroid 99942 Apophis.If approved, it is expected to be launched in April 2028, to arrive at Apophis in February 2029, before its closest approach to Earth.
For a brief period in late December 2004, with an observation arc of 190 days, asteroid 99942 Apophis (then known only by its provisional designation 2004 MN 4) held the record for the highest Palermo scale value, with a value of 1.10 for a possible collision in the year 2029. [9]