'God of Chaos' asteroid is coming sooner than you think - and 7.6 billion people will see it

A huge asteroid nicknamed 'God of Chaos' is set to fly by Earth sooner than we think - and now, scientists are saying it could be visible to 7.6 billion people when it happens.

99942 Apophis is set to pass 20,000 miles above earth on April 13, 2029, making it one of the closest flybys of a large asteroid ever predicted.

That means its route will take it closer than the distance of many satellites in geosynchronous orbit (about 22,236 miles, or 36,000 kilometers, in altitude).

The 340 meter-long rock, which NASA say is around the same size as the Eiffel Tower, was first discovered in 2004, and concerns have been raised over how it could affect Earth.

Upon its discovery in 2004, it was marked as a level 4 on the Torino scale, with the chance of it hitting Earth in 2029 increasing to 1.6 per cent.

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Its potential threat to Earth even earned the asteroid the name Apophis in honour of the Ancient Egyptian god of darkness and disorder.

However, the space agency is now confident that there's no risk of it hitting us for at least 100 years and re-labelled it a Level 0 - instead, making 2029's flyby a once-in-a-generation spectacle.

“Scientists believe that an asteroid as large as Apophis only comes this close to Earth once every 5,000 to 10,000 years,” the ESA added in a Twitter/X post.

To be sure, NASA has redirected a spacecraft to study Apophis, and has several telescopes keeping a close eye on its movements.

Instead, it'll help scientists study how gravity affects an asteroid’s orbit, rotation and surface.

How can I see the Apophis Asteroid?

On April 13, 2029, 90 per cent of the world's population (or 7.6 billion) across Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and eastern South America will be able to see the asteroid for up to seven hours - it'll be a moment remembered in history books to come.

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