# Post by Black Hole (@konstructivizm)

**By:** Black Hole (@konstructivizm)  
**Published:** 2026-07-11T19:52:00.000Z  
**Source:** [X](https://x.com/i/status/2076031773608440234)

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Post by Black Hole (@konstructivizm)

Mark Your Calendars: Asteroid Apophis Delivers a Once-in-a-Lifetime Close Encounter on April 13, 2029! ☄️

Get ready for one of the most thrilling celestial events of the 21st century. On April 13, 2029, the 370-meter-wide asteroid 99942 Apophis (roughly the size of the Empire State Building or a large cruise ship) will streak past Earth at a distance of just ~32,000 kilometers (about 20,000 miles) above our surface—closer than many geostationary satellites and only about one-tenth the distance to the Moon.

This will be the closest known flyby of a large asteroid in recorded history, and it poses zero impact risk to Earth. Instead, it offers a spectacular opportunity for science and public stargazing.

At its brightest, Apophis will shine at around magnitude 3.1—easily visible to the naked eye from rural and darker suburban skies as a fast-moving “star.” It will race across the sky at up to 42° per hour, making its motion noticeable over just a few minutes. Best viewing will be from parts of Europe, Africa, and western Asia, where it will glide through constellations from Centaurus toward Perseus and beyond.

Astronomers worldwide are gearing up for an unprecedented observational bonanza. The close pass will let scientists study Apophis in exquisite detail with ground- and space-based telescopes, potentially revealing changes in its rotation, surface properties, and orbit due to Earth’s gravity. It’s a rare chance to see a potentially hazardous asteroid up close—without any of the hazard.

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