NASA has revealed images of the ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid which has left some scientists worried. While scientists have “effectively ruled out the possibility” of the 370-metre asteroid crashing into Earth in 2029 or 2036, another close flyby expected in 2068 is being observed as “the most dangerous”. The asteroid was named by NASA as 99942 Apophis after the Ancient Egyptian god of evil, darkness and destruction, which birthed the nickname ‘God of Chaos’.
NASA images revealed the sheer size of Apophis, and at 370 metres wide it dwarfs the Shard in London.
Images of Apophis were taken over a week long period by NASA telescopes at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and the Pan-STARRS observatories, which are dotted across the Hawaiian islands.
The images, which appear is if they were taken just metres away from the space rock rather than the millions of miles across to solar system, show Apophis looking almost perfectly circular.
Yet despite looking harmless, the God of Chaos would pack a powerful punch if it came to Earth.
If the 27billion kg asteroid were to hit Earth, scientists at the Observatory of Turin in Italy calculate that it would leave a crater over a mile wide and a staggering 518 metres deep.
However, most worryingly, the impact would be equivalent to 880 million tons of TNT being detonated – some 65,000 times as powerful as the nuclear bomb which was dropped on Hiroshima.
Fortunately for us, a collision is looking unlikely and NASA has managed to rule out an impact over the next two flybys in 2029 and 2036.
Don Yeomans, manager of NASA’s Near-Earth Object Program Office at JPL, said: “We have effectively ruled out the possibility of an Earth impact by Apophis in 2036.
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“Further orbital resonance reentries contain a great number (about one hundred) possible collisions between Apophis and the Earth, the most dangerous of them in 2068.”
NASA has also given Apophis, which named after the Ancient Egyptian god of evil, darkness and destruction, a one in 150,000 chance of colliding in 2068.
Boffins at the space agency will use the next few flybys to study it in better detail.
Radar NASA scientist Marina Brozovic said: “The Apophis close approach in 2029 will be an incredible opportunity for science.”
Astronomer Davide Farnocchia added: “We already know that the close encounter with Earth will change Apophis’ orbit.”
