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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, April 13, 2029.
Additional observations of Apophis have allowed astronomers to long rule out the risk of an impact in 2029 when Apophis is predicted to come within a distance of Earth 10 times closer than the ...
They rarely hit a populated area, but can cause widespread damage when they do. Performance is improving in detecting smaller objects as existing systems are upgraded and new ones come on line, but all current systems have a blind spot around the Sun that can only be overcome by a dedicated space based system or by discovering objects on a ...
The Torino scale is a method for categorizing the impact hazard associated with near-Earth objects (NEOs) such as asteroids and comets.It is intended as a communication tool for astronomers and the public to assess the seriousness of collision predictions, by combining probability statistics and known kinetic damage potentials into a single threat value.
Astronomer Paul Wiegert had found a scenario in which Apophis could be sent careening into Earth in 2029. But we’d have to be extremely unlucky.
An impact by a sufficiently large asteroid or other NEOs would cause, depending on its impact location, massive tsunamis or multiple firestorms, and an impact winter caused by the sunlight-blocking effect of large quantities of pulverized rock dust and other debris placed into the stratosphere.
As a year of record-breaking weather comes to a close, AccuWeather is taking a look back at the most intense moments. From powerful hurricanes and tornadoes to drought-busting storms and the ...
After about a year, the temperature could rebound by about 6 °C, but by this time about one-third of the Northern Hemisphere might be covered in ice. [3] However, this effect could be largely mitigated, even reversed, by a release of enormous quantities of water vapor and carbon dioxide caused by the initial global heat pulse after the impact.