Shoemaker-Levy 9 fragment H impact on Jupiter, July 18, 1994, taken by the European Southern Observatory (solarviews.com)
I remember the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 striking Jupiter in 1994.
It was the summer and I recall looking at the night sky and reflecting upon this event that was now dominating the headlines on a daily basis. As the years passed, I would not forget about this comet, and would wonder as to its significance.
But in time I would learn that NASA had also not forgotten about this moment.
The comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (SL9) repeatedly struck Jupiter from July 16-22, 1994. There were 21 fragments of the comet that impacted Jupiter over successive days. This impact event was the first time that mankind was able to observe the collision of two objects within the solar system.
The impact of SL9 was profound. It gave NASA a stark reminder on how vulnerable the planets remained to large collisions—and in a sense raised an alarm regarding earth. One NASA scientist remarked that “Shoemaker-Levy 9 was a sort of punch in the gut.” 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 (NASA).
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. (Howell).
After this incident, NASA formed the ‘Planetary Defense Coordination Office’ (PDCO) in 2016 to lead the U.S. response to detected threats. This organization includes the first ever ‘Planetary Defense Officer,’ a title held by NASA’s Lindly Johnson.
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 (Lea).
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 (Mark).
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 (Lea).
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 as well (again with stated probability of hitting earth at 0%) (Greicius).
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 2021, there were 4084 satellites in orbit, with 560 listed in geosynchronous orbit (UCS). For NASA to state that Apophis will pass inside the band of geosynchronous satellites means there is a possibility of Apophis hitting one, or more, orbiting satellites.
Second, in 2020, Thomas Horn, author and CEO of Skywatch TV, began appearing on Christian programs – including the 700 Club and Sid Roth’s It’s Supernatural – to promote his book “The Wormwood Prophecy” and to alert the world that he sees Apophis hitting the planet.
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, an incoming asteroid breaking apart, impacting the surface, and affecting one third of the earth as it burns vegetation, poisons the water and blacks out the sky from debris (Horn).
Video: The Wormwood Prophecy, March 8, 2020, The 700 Club
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.
The fact that a third of the ships at sea are destroyed seems to testify to the violence possible from a fast-moving object entering the atmosphere and striking the ocean.
As time passes, Apophis will gain increased scrutiny with its trajectory closely monitored worldwide. Currently NASA has stated with confidence that it will miss the earth, although it will come close enough to potentially impact the geosynchronous band of satellites. A concern that will remain is if the trajectory of Apophis is ever altered in some way as it nears the planet in 2029…or perhaps when it returns in 2036.
As 2029 nears it will also be of interest to see if the risk assessment regarding the billions of dollars in geosynchronous satellites potentially threatened by Apophis will prompt action by NASA—similar to that just demonstrated by the DART mission. Could the confidence gained from the success of DART lead NASA to attempt to alter the trajectory of Apophis? For now, it remains a question.
Regardless, whatever we are supposed to take away from the symbolism of the close approach of asteroid Apophis –the dark serpent enemy of Ra—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.
In addition, we should keep in mind that Revelation 12 tells us that a time is coming during which Satan (depicted as a dragon) will finally be thrown out of heaven and cast down to earth. We are told “Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman [Israel] who gave birth to the male Child’ and “he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:13-17). When Satan is cast down to the earth, we see a time of great persecution begin…and it is interesting to consider the symbolism of the dark serpent Apophis drawing ever closer to the earth in 2029 from this perspective as well.
In Chapter 2 of this series, we presented the Biblical statements referencing the visions of mankind fleeing into the mountains to hide in rocks and caves. A close reading of Revelation 6 tells us that mankind attempts to escape into the mountains after a great earthquake has occurred. Tom Horn has pointed out that following this comes the trumpet judgements which appear to show an asteroid hitting the earth. It is worth considering that it is not the great earthquake that causes an exodus into the mountains, it is what mankind sees approaching from space that causes this worldwide panic.
More on this scenario later.
When Apophis passes through the geosynchronous satellite band in 2029 and is viewed by all the world, mankind will witness a significant and unavoidable sign—made more so by its naming for an Egyptian serpent god and corresponding imagery present in the Book of Revelation.
But that will be just the latest in a long line of signs that have come to pass.
Next – Chapter 22: When These Things Come to Pass
