I've heard about Apophis before the 2012 hype, and its 1 in 250,000 chance of impact in 2029/2036. Is this something worth looking at / worrying about in the near future? (for the record, I'm not worried about it now, I'm not gonna spend 24 years of my life worrying about that..)
The only apophis i am aware of is the one that got blown up when his h'tak vessel was over run by replicators.
"doing nothing is not an option"
Actually there is no chance of an impact in 2029. What astronomers are talking about is a key hole in space that Apophis has to pass through in order for its chances to increase on a return impact visit in 2036
Is this something worth looking at / worrying about in the near future?
In a word - no.
The current odds of impact with the Earth are 1 in 250,000. You are more likely to be struck by lightning before 2036.
1 in 250,000 are the odds against it striking the Earth anywhere. The chances of it hitting you personally are vastly smaller.
In any case, this is all academic. Apophis will be within radar range early next year and new measurements of its trajectory will very likely rule out its going through the 'keyhole' in 2029 (although it will still pass close, but not less than 29,000 km). In 2036 it will probably pass millions of miles away.
So there's no need to wait for 2029. We will very probably know soon, and know that there will be no danger.
It passed us.
What? No it didn't.
@metalangel
Toutatis 4179 passed us, Apophis is to make a flyby in 2029 and 2036
"If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them" - Dalai Lama






