Example Asteroid: the asteroid Ida is shown with its small moon Dactyl. Image from the Galileo spacecraft, August 28, 1993. (ESA)
When the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (SL9) collided with Jupiter from July 16-22, 1994, it gave the world a dramatic look at the catastrophic nature of planetary impacts. This event was the first time that mankind had the technology to observe the collision of two objects within the solar system in real time.
And the long-term legacy of SL9 would be profound.
It gave NASA a stark reminder on how vulnerable the planets remained to large collisions and raised an alarm regarding the earth. As a result, in 1994, Congress tasked NASA to initiate a program to catalog large near-Earth objects (NEOs) in excess of 1 kilometer. In 1998, NASA began this program with the goal of detecting 90% of 1-kilometer NEOs within a decade – and they achieved this by 2010. In 2005, NASA was also directed to find at least 90% of NEOs sized 140 meters or larger by the end of 2020 (still in progress). Part of this tasking included developing options for diverting NEOs that put Earth at risk of impact.
Hubble Space Telescope view of the 21 Shoemaker-Levy 9 fragments on May 17, 1994. Image encompasses 710,000 miles. (NASA)
Awareness of the danger of NEOs accelerated with the February 15th, 2013 atmospheric impact of an asteroid over Chelyabinsk, Russia. This object was 56 feet across and broke up in the atmosphere with no warning, injuring about 1,200 people. The blast is listed as 30 to 40 times greater than that at Hiroshima.
After this incident, NASA formed the ‘Planetary Defense Coordination Office’ (PDCO) in 2016 to lead the U.S. response to detected threats. The PDCO took a historic leap forward on November 24, 2021 when the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Mission launched from Vandenberg AFB, California.
This mission was the first attempt at demonstrating a planetary defense in history, and was designed to test a kinetic impact technique for changing the trajectory of an asteroid in space. Its target was the binary near-Earth asteroid, which consists of the primary body ‘Didymos’ (780 meters wide) and then the secondary moonlet (160 meters wide) ‘Dimorphos’.
This mission proved to be successful, as DART did indeed impact the asteroid on September 26, 2022. After analysis, NASA confirmed that the collision successfully altered the orbit of Dimorphos.
The success of the DART mission is viewed as having validated our ability to defend against future asteroid impacts using this kinetic impact technique. And it is remarkable that we have now witnessed the first successful test of a planetary defense technique…given the coming approach of Apophis.
Artist illustration of DART Spacecraft mission (KQED)
Apophis is an asteroid that is scheduled to make a close approach to earth on Friday the 13th of April 2029. This object is 1,120 feet wide and will pass inside the orbits of geostationary satellites at 19,000 miles. Given its large size (it’s about ten times larger than the object that created Meteor Crater in Arizona), this asteroid will potentially be visible to 2 billion people, with a trajectory across Australia, the Indian Ocean and then passing over Africa. Apophis was discovered on June 19, 2004 at the Kitt Peak National Observatory.
Apophis is named for the evil serpent enemy of the sun god Ra in Egyptian mythology. Ra would travel through the sky in his sun barge from dawn to dusk and then descend into the underworld. While in darkness it would be attacked by Apophis who would try to kill Ra and prevent sunrise. Apophis is associated with darkness, storms, earthquakes, thunder and death.
Video: Animation of Apophis’s 2029 flyby of earth
“But the three most important things about Apophis are: Apophis will miss the Earth. Apophis will miss the Earth. Apophis will miss the Earth.”
Richard Binzel, Professor of Planetary Sciences, MIT (Lea)
In the category of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs), this asteroid made the news when it was originally estimated that there was a 2.7% chance of this object impacting the planet in 2029. After much additional observation and study, Apophis has been downgraded to a 0% probability of impact. However, it will pass within 19,000 miles—which places it inside the geosynchronous satellite band.
Apophis’ first fly-by of the earth occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic, when it passed by at a distance of 93 million miles on March 5th 2021. After its second visit on April 13th 2029, Apophis will return again in 2036 and then in 2068, but each time much further away, and again with stated probability of hitting earth at 0%.
There are two things to note about the close approach of Apophis in 2029.
First, NASA is stating that it will pass inside of the geosynchronous satellite band – and this is relatively close to earth. The geosynchronous orbit is 22,236 miles above the equator and is the location for communication, weather, and certain surveillance satellites. Popularly recognized satellites in this orbit include DIRECTV, DISH, Sirius FM, GOES (NOAA weather), TDRSS (NASA), as well as civilian and military communication satellites from countries around the world. As of 2023, there were 7,560 satellites in orbit, with 590 listed in geosynchronous orbit. For NASA to state that Apophis will pass inside the band of geosynchronous satellites means that it is at least possible that Apophis might hit one, or more, orbiting satellites.
Second, in 2020, Thomas Horn, author and CEO of Skywatch TV, began appearing on Christian programs to promote his book “The Wormwood Prophecy”—within which he states that he sees Apophis striking the earth.
His book is based on a prophetic dream from 2019 in which he saw an object striking the earth, and he specifically heard the word ‘Apophis’ in association with this vision. His analysis of Apophis links it to Revelation 8 and the first four trumpet judgements. He sees these trumpet judgements as all part of the same event, as an incoming asteroid breaks apart and impacts the surface.
Video: The 700 Club, March 8, 2020
The imagery provided in Revelation 8 detailing the results of the sounding of the second trumpet has long invoked thoughts of an object from space hitting the earth:
Revelation 8:8-9: “Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.”
As time passes, Apophis will gain increased scrutiny with its trajectory closely monitored worldwide. In fact, NASA has already sent a spacecraft to study the asteroid during its journey to the earth. As 2029 nears it will also be of interest to see if the risk assessment regarding the billions of dollars in orbiting satellites potentially threatened by Apophis will prompt any additional action by NASA—or perhaps we will learn that Apophis will flyby with no risk at all. A long-term concern will remain is if the trajectory of Apophis is ever altered in some way as it nears the planet in 2029, or when it returns in 2036 and beyond.
All we know for now is that Apophis will hold the world’s attention in 2029…and as such there is an alternate theory to suggest.
In the Book of Revelation, John describes a time during which Satan will be unleased upon the earth. In Revelation 12, we see the account of Michael defeating the dragon, with the result that Satan and his angels are cast out of heaven and thrown to the earth. The passage states:
Revelation 12:7-9: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
Revelation 12:12: “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
This is clearly speculation, but I wonder if the appearance of Apophis in the sky right above us in 2029 will signal the start of the window during which Satan will be thrown to the earth. From a Christian perspective, we know that the tribulation is on the horizon, so is it possible that an asteroid named for a serpent will be a great sign marking this period of time? Is it possible that this will be the time that sees Satan fully loosed upon the earth?
What we do know is that after Satan is finally cast to the earth, we will see a time of great persecution, and a time in which he makes war on those who “…keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).
Regardless, whatever we are supposed to take away from the close approach of an asteroid named for an evil serpent god of destruction–on of all days Friday the 13th in April 2029–we should remain aware that at some point in the future The Book of Revelation does seem to depict an object catastrophically hitting the earth.
For now, we are left with the fact that when Apophis passes through our band of satellites in 2029 and is viewed by all the world, mankind will have witnessed a significant and unavoidable sign.
But that will be just the latest in a long line of signs that have come to pass.
Next – Chapter 21: Unless He Reveals His Secret to His Servants
