NASA announced this week that Earth will remain safe from the threat of impact from a specific asteroid for the next 100 years.
According to the space agency, new telescope observations have the capability of the 1,100-ft. asteroid “Apophis” will come into contact with Earth in 2068, The Associated Press reported.
NASA previously cited concerns that Apophis could get seriously close to Earth in 2029 and 2036 before these possibilities were recently ruled out.
Now, according to the news outlet, Apophis has been officially removed from the agency’s asteroid “risk list”.
“An impact in 2068 is no longer possible, and our calculations show no impact risk for at least the next 100 years,” Davide Farnocchia of NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies told the AP.
Earlier this month, scientists were able to refine the space rock’s orbit around the sun using radar observations. Apophis will reportedly come within 32,000 miles of Earth by April 2029 and allow astronomers to get a closer look.
“When I started working with asteroids after college, Apophis was the poster child for dangerous asteroids,” said Farnocchia.
“It gives a sense of satisfaction to see it removed from the risk list.”