What would happen if Apophis hit the Earth?

Apophis was predicted to hit the Earth in the Pacific ocean. This prediction was based on an equation that showed that if Apophis passed through a specific “gravitational keyhole” then the Earth’s gravity would nudge it just enough so that when it came back in 7 years it would hit us about 500 km west of California.

Is it possible for an asteroid to hit Earth?

It is possible that an asteroid may hit Earth one day, but the chances of this happening are very small. Most asteroids are located in the asteroid belt and stay between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter which is very far from us.

How fast would an asteroid hit the Earth?

Asteroids hit Earth typically at high speeds of 16 to 32 km/sec (10-20 miles/sec). During the impact, the kinetic energy in the asteroid (or energy of motion) is converted to explosive energy, blowing debris of dust, soil, and rocks not only into the atmosphere, but out into space, where it fell back into the top of the atmosphere.

Is an asteroid about to hit Earth?

And no. Yes, an asteroid will hit Earth. In fact ten of them as big as refrigerators streak into the atmosphere every year. Most burn up on the way in, and about two-thirds of the rest (or chunks of them) fall harmlessly into the ocean (because the planet is about two-thirds ocean).

Will Apophis destroy Earth?

The deadly asteroid Apophis is safely passing by Earth today, more than 9 million miles (14.5 million kilometers) from our home planet. Next time we won’t be so lucky. On April 13, 2029, Apophis will come so close that it may destroy satellites in orbit.

When will Apophis pass Earth?

Future. Using criteria developed in this research, new measurements possible in 2013 (if not 2011) will likely confirm that in 2036 Apophis will quietly pass more than 49 million km (30.5 million miles; 0.32 AU) from Earth on Easter Sunday of that year (April 13).

How big will Apophis appear?

Apophis is getting much closer-and Apophis is huge. It’s over 1,000 feet across, meaning it will be big enough to see with the naked eye when it flies past us. Most asteroids that nearly hit us are only a few dozen feet across. Due in part to its large size, we’re able to see Apophis coming over a decade in advance.