Viral News: Huge Asteroid Bigger than Eiffel Tower Could Hit Earth.

Enormous asteroid bigger than the Eiffel Tower set to skim past Earth closer than satellitesPhoto by(Image: Getty)

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Introduction

Scientists have revealed that a humongous asteroid, bigger than the Eiffel Tower, will graze past Earth in 2029. Initially considered a potential calamity, the space rock named 99942 Apophis has now become an object of study. Scientists hope to improve our defenses against similar celestial bodies as Apophis creeps closer to our planet.

Photo byBryan GoffonUnsplash

Key Details

• Asteroid Name: 99942 Apophis
• Closest Approach: 13th April 2029
• Distance from Earth: Approximately 20,000 miles (one-tenth of the distance to the Moon)

European Space Agency's Involvement

Officials from the European Space Agency (ESA) have publicized their intention to finance preliminary work on the Rapid Apophis Mission for Security and Safety (RAMSES). This mission involves the launch of a spacecraft to collect data on the asteroid’s:

• Size
• Shape
• Mass
• Rotation

NASA’s Warning

NASA warns that the skyscraper-sized asteroid is hurtling towards Earth. The asteroid will come closer to Earth than geostationary satellites, which are used for TV, navigation, and weather forecasts.

Scientific Insights

"The flyby it does with Earth is absolutely unique," stated Dr. Holger Krag, Chief of ESA's Space Safety Programme Office. He further explained that Earth's gravitational influence might trigger landslides on Apophis' surface. Dr. Krag highlighted, "It's the gravity field of the Earth that will basically slightly reshape the asteroid, causing it to change its form."

Potential Threats

While most asteroids passing by Earth pose no significant risk due to their stable orbits, Apophis is an Earth-crossing asteroid. Professor Monica Grady from the Open University raised concerns about the potential dangers of such near-Earth objects: "They come near the Earth, and there's potential that one day one of them will hit the Earth and cause a major disaster. We believe this happened 65 million years ago when the dinosaurs were all wiped out," she remarked. "And if it's a big asteroid and it hits us, it'll be a catastrophe which will destroy humanity."

Conclusion

Apophis, discovered in 2004, was initially thought to crash into Earth. However, NASA has dismissed these theories, stating no such collision will occur in 2029. The RAMSES mission aims to relay crucial data about Apophis back to Earth, aiding scientists in understanding and potentially deflecting dangerous space rocks in the future.

Source: Irishstar