"Potentially Hazardous" Asteroid to Pass by Earth

Eros, like Apophis, is a near-Earth asteroid. Apophis is a big name in the world of asteroids, and on Wednesday the famed space object will be making an appearance for astronomers across the globe. A flurry of apocalyptic hoopla was generated in 2004 when astronomers found an asteroid that looked like it may be headed for Earth. Apophis measures almost 1000 feet across, and if it were to hit Earth, the fateful collision would occur on Friday the 13th, in April of 2029. So astronomers set out to take more pictures of the asteroid's orbit and better estimate the chances of a collision. As a clearer picture of its orbit emerged, the odds went from 1 in 300, to 1 in 45, to zero. But that doesn't mean the threat is gone. Because Apophis orbits the Earth Apophis's orbit usually places the asteroid between the Earth and the sun, so ...