Almost exactly three years from now, on Thursday evening, April 13, 2029, our civilization will take part in an event almost straight out of a Hollywood movie. “Almost” in this case means 32 thousand. km, because at this distance the huge asteroid Apophis will pass our planet – a distance that is smaller than in the case of some satellites.
“Apophis has a diameter of 340 meters, and its long axis measures at least 450 meters. Apophis is slightly longer than an American football field and is about the same height as the Eiffel Tower,” says NASA. So we are dealing here with a huge cosmic objectand its huge size combined with an extremely close flyby will make the asteroid highly visible in the sky.
A view once every few thousand years
The sight we will see in the Polish sky on April 13, 2029, happens on average once every 5-10 thousand years. years, so we have to keep our fingers crossed for good weather that day. The observation window in Poland will open at approx. 10 p.m. and lasts until midnight — during this time, you should look out for an object with the brightness of a star that will pass over the southern and southwestern horizon.
The asteroid will reach its maximum brightness at approximately 22.35 and you will be able to see it with the naked eye – as long as the sky is not cloudy. Using binoculars or a telescope, you will be able to take an even closer look at this huge space rock that will literally pass our planet by a hair's breadth.
