Weird Science / July 23, 2026
Huge Asteroid Will Be Visible to 90% of Earth's Population in 2029
Original reporting by T.K. Randall for Unexplained Mysteries
Apophis is set to pass closer than many satellites in April 2029, offering scientists and skywatchers an unusually direct view of a large near-Earth object.
Unexplained Mysteries reporter T.K. Randall highlights the April 13, 2029 flyby of asteroid Apophis, a roughly 1,100-foot object expected to pass about 20,000 miles above the planet and become visible without a telescope across a wide region.
The encounter is not currently treated as an impact threat. Its importance comes from proximity: researchers can observe how Earth’s gravity affects the asteroid while the public gets a rare reminder that large objects routinely move through the near-Earth environment.