Watch Asteroid Apophis Fly By Earth Wednesday Night

By Roxanne Palmer | January 08 2013 5:57 PM

Less than a month after the asteroid Toutatis popped in for a visit, Earth is going to get another flyby from a large asteroid. But rest easy; the space rock Apophis, named for the Egyptian demon Apep, enemy of the sun god Ra, won’t be striking us this time.

European Space Agency

An artist's rendering of the asteroid Apophis, which is likely to make a close pass with Earth twice in the next century.

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There is, however, a tiny chance – a very, very tiny chance -- that we might not be so lucky in 2036, which is why astronomers are especially keen to get a good view of Apophis this year. Currently, NASA estimates the probability of Apophis striking the Earth in April 2036 to be about 1 in 233,000.

In 2013, Apophis will come within a tenth of an astronomical unit – nearly 9,000,000 miles – of earth. The asteroid is about three football fields wide.

When Apophis was discovered in 2004, scientists briefly estimated that there was a 2.7 percent chance it would hit us in 2029. Revised calculations show that Apophis is likely to pass by that year, but will still give us a close shave, passing about 30,000 kilometers (18,600 miles) overhead – closer than the Moon.

Starting at 7 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, there will be live coverage of Apophis’ fly-by, courtesy of the Slooh Space Camera.