Potentially threatens Earth asteroid Apophis will fly on Wednesday in the 15.43 MSK a distance of 14.46 million kilometers from Earth, according to a press release NASA.



The 300-meter asteroid Apophis (2004 MN4) attracted much attention, as is currently the most serious known cosmic threat to the Earth. In April 2029 this body will be from our planet at a distance of only about 36 thousand miles - at the height of the geostationary satellites. Once in the immediate vicinity of the Earth, Apophis could change its orbit so that the next encounter with the planet in 2036 may encounter it.

The proximity to the Earth asteroid, which, according to official data, will come on Wednesday to the planet at a distance of 0,0966605 astronomical units (average distance from the earth to the Sun), will commit Luggage Slooh Space Camera, and the movement of the heavenly bodies will be free to watch on the website Slooh.com.

Earlier it was reported that Russian scientists plan to send to the asteroid Apophis automated research station, which will leave next to him artificial satellite beacon, allowing with high accuracy to determine the orbit of the asteroid and find out how big a threat of collision with the Ground. In October last year, the head of Roscosmos Vladimir Popovkin said that the Ministry plans to implement after 2020, the project on start to Apophis spacecraft, with which the surface of the asteroid will be thrown to the beacon.

The asteroid was named ancient Egyptian God of the destroyer, who lives in the underground world and tries to destroy the Sun. There are several scenarios asteroid collision with the Earth. To get a more accurate calculations, to the heavenly stranger had planned to send automated research station. But so far behind the asteroid see only with the help of telescopes.