Eiffel Tower-sized asteroid Apophis to pass closer to Earth than many satellites in 2029, NASA says

A large asteroid about the size of the Eiffel Tower is expected to come unusually close to Earth in 2029, but there is no risk of impact, scientists said.

The asteroid, named Apophis, will pass around 20,000 miles from Earth's surface on April 13, 2029—closer than many satellites in orbit, according to NASA. Apophis is classified as "potentially hazardous" and is made of leftover "raw material" that was never part of a planet or moon.

"When it was discovered in 2004, it appeared Apophis might impact Earth in either 2029, 2036, or 2068," NASA said. "Since then, astronomers have closely watched Apophis using optical telescopes and ground-based radar, allowing its orbit to become better understood. Based on this data, NASA is now confident th...