Asteroid “God of Chaos” Threatens Earth on Friday 13th
An astronomer has issued a warning that the colossal asteroid known as “God of Chaos” could be on a collision course with Earth, potentially striking on Friday the 13th. The asteroid, officially named 99942 Apophis, was first discovered in 2004 and initial assessments gave it a 2.7% chance of impacting Earth in 2029.
However, subsequent observations ruled out any direct impact in 2029, with the asteroid predicted to make a close approach to Earth on Friday, April 13, 2029, coming within 18,300 miles of our planet. Despite this, a recent study by Canadian astronomer Paul Wiegert has raised concerns about a potential collision.
“The odds of an unseen small asteroid deflecting Apophis enough to direct it into a collision with Earth in 2029 are approximately 10^8,” Wiegert explained. He highlighted the rarity of such events, mentioning that only 5% of such impulses could set the asteroid on a collision course with Earth, translating to an overall probability of less than one in two billion.
The study details that for the asteroid’s path to be altered, a specific threshold must be met. The distance of the impact, labeled as “d,” needs to be at least 3.4 meters, and the change in velocity, noted as “v,” must exceed 5 x 10^2 meters per second.
Furthermore, the astronomer cautioned that Apophis has not been closely monitored since May 2021 and is not expected to be observed until 2027. This lack of monitoring is due to the asteroid’s positioning relative to Earth and the Sun, which places it in the daytime sky during this period.
The potential threat of the “God of Chaos” asteroid looms large, raising concerns about the possibility of a catastrophic impact on Earth. While the odds may be slim, the unpredictable nature of space phenomena reminds us of the fragility of our planet in the vast universe.