WASHINGTON (AP) — NASA says a big asteroid is no longer even a remote threat to smash into Earth in about 20 years.
Astronomers
got a much better look at the asteroid when it whizzed by Earth on
Wednesday. They recalculated, determining it wasn't on path to hit Earth
on April 13, 2036 as once feared.
At more than 1,000 feet wide, the rock could do significant damage but not cause worldwide extinctions.
About
nine years ago, when astronomers first saw the asteroid, they thought
there was a 2.7 percent chance that Apophis would smack
into our planet. Later, they lowered the chances. The asteroid is named
after an evil Egyptian mythical serpent.
Donald Yeomans, who manages NASA's asteroid-tracking office, said now the asteroid won't get closer than 19,400 miles.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
Asteroid Apophis was discovered on June 19, 2004. Image credit: UH/IA
