God of Chaos’ Asteroid Apophis May Be Reshaped by Earth’s Gravity During 2029 Flyby, Study Suggests

In 2029, the asteroid Apophis, nicknamed the “God of Chaos,” will pass very close to Earth, and new research suggests that Earth’s gravity could trigger tremors and landslides on its surface. These quakes and shifts may alter Apophis’ surface by dislodging rocks and changing its rotation, creating patterns that NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX mission hopes to observe. This study provides new insights into how close encounters with planets can reshape asteroid surfaces.

A new study reveals that when the asteroid Apophis, nicknamed the “God of Chaos,” passes close to Earth in 2029, our planet’s gravity may cause tremors and landslides that could reshape its surface. Discovered in 2004, Apophis is approximately 1,100 feet long and shaped like a peanut. Though it won’t collide with Earth, it will pass as close as 20,000 miles (32,000 km)—nearer than some satellites.

Ronald-Louis Ballouz, an asteroid scientist at Johns Hopkins University, explains that Earth’s gravity may induce tremors on Apophis. These quakes, expected to start about an hour before its closest approach, may shake loose boulders and alter its surface features. Additionally, the asteroid’s “tumbling” rotation could change, leading to gradual landslides over thousands of years.

This gravitational interaction offers insight into how close planetary encounters might “refresh” asteroid surfaces, a process scientists have long observed but not fully understood. Ballouz and colleagues used computational models of Apophis, based on another asteroid, Itokawa, to simulate these effects. Their findings suggest that the quakes and landslides may give Apophis a distinct surface pattern detectable by a spacecraft.

NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX mission will study Apophis in 2029, hoping to confirm these predictions.

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