20% Larger

The Apophis is an asteroid that could potentially hit the Earth in 2036, turned out has larger size than previously thought. The asteroid is moving closer to the earth at Friday evening and can be seen via the internet video broadcast.

To obtained the latest infra-red image of Apophis, The Officials of European Space Agency (ESA) using the Herschel Space Observatory. They found the actual size of this asteroid, which is 325 meters. On the previous studies estimated the size of the destroyer asteroid was "only" 270 meters.

This graphic shows the orbit of
the asteroid Apophis in relation 
to the paths of Earth and other 
planets in the inner solar system.  
(Picture from:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/)

"The size turned out to be 20 percent larger," said the leader of researcher, Thomas Muller who also works at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, Germany. According to him, the larger diameter means the asteroid also has the greater number of volume and mass. The calculations of this asteroid mass showed 75 percent greater than the numbers in astronomy textbooks.

On Friday evening (January 11, 2013), the Earth destroyer asteroid will approach. Two telescopes in Italy and the Canary Island, Spain, will broadcast the movement of Apophis in the night sky. Through their large telescopes, Apophis will pass as close as 15 million kilometers and then moves away. However, the different scene will be seen in April 2029. At that time the asteroid crossed on the distance of 36 thousand kilometers and will be in the communication satellites orbit or 400 times closer than its current distance.

The Apophis will not bring the destruction threat of the human race in 2036. (Picture from: http://wherewhywhen.com/)

Studies conducted in 2004 showed that the Apophis's stopover occurs in 2036 turned out to be closer to the Earth's distance. At that time, the asteroid will falling to earth and could potentially threaten the safety of human beings. Potential catastrophic of the asteroid fall is estimated by 2.7 percent.

Scientists at the U.S. space agency (NASA) has been calculating in detail. If Apophis hitting the Earth, the resulting explosion equivalent to more than 500 megatons of TNT. For comparison, the most powerful hydrogen bomb ever detonated by Soviet Union was the Tsar Bomba (Emperor Bomb) which was produce the explosion power of 57 megatons of TNT.

The live broadcast of the asteroid potentially devastating the Earth's civilization can be seen in The Virtual Telescope Project 2.0. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOUECES | SPACE | ANTON WILLIAM | KORAN TEMPO 4110]

Not Crashed Into the Earth

Apophis asteroid visits bring valuable information about the disaster in the future. Now the astronomers know that the 325 meters asteroid was certainly not going to hit the Earth in 2036. "The assurance is derived from radar imagery," said the space dynamics expert at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

On January 10, 2013, Apophis approaching Earth at a distance of 15 million kilometers. The asteroid visit that rotates back and forth between the orbits of Earth and Venus is used by astronomers to revise the calculation of the orbit. Sure enough, the asteroid will be no closer than 23 million kilometers in 2036 later. Most likely pass 56 million kilometers from Earth.

The NASA's Goldstone Solar 
System Radar.  (Picture from: 
http://spaceguard.rm.iasf.cnr.it/)

NASA uses the Goldstone radar that has dish with 70 meters of diameter. The Radar has high resolution data, for a space object with the size of three times of football field and located as far as 15 million kilometers, the radar could see it as five points.

When first discovered in 2004, Apophis was causing anxiety. Orbit calculations showed these stones will pass by earth at a distance 36 thousand kilometers in 2009. The worst case scenario is estimated to occur in 2036. When that asteroid will be attracted by Earth's gravity and then crashed into the earth.

The latest confirmation of NASA is dismissed the worst possible. Thus, it is certain that Apophis will not bring the destruction threat of the human race. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOUECES | SKYANDTELESCOPE | ANTON WILLIAM |KORAN TEMPO 4117]

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