Asteroid Apophis 2029 Flyby Scientific Report - What NASA JPL Data Says In 2026 - Asteroid News Without the Hype - Updated 31/05/26

Asteroid (99942) Apophis — 2026 NASA-Verified Scientific Status News Report Update. 
NASA JPL SBDB Solution Date: 2024‑Jun‑25 10:48:08 | Epoch 2461000.5 (2025‑Nov‑21.0) 

Researched, Written and Published by: Astrophyzix Digital Observatory 

ℹ️ No Hype, No Speculation, No Sensationalism - Credible Asteroid News With Clarity - Strict Editorial Standards - Fully Verifiable Sources 

⭐ This report has been featured and cited as the primary source by MSN News and other global media outlets in 39 individual news articles. 

🆙 This report is updated when new agency data is released or updated. 

Reading Time: ~12 min Primary Data: NASA CNEOS / JPL SBDB / JPL Horizons

Classification: Near-Earth Object (Potentially Hazardous Asteroid) Evidence-First Report

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Apophis 2029 Flyby Key Takeaways

• No impact risk: NASA’s current orbital solutions for Apophis show zero impact probability for at least the next 100 years.^[1]
• The 2029 flyby: Using official NASA data, Astrophyzix can confirm that on Friday 13 April 2029, Apophis will pass at about 32,000 km above Earth’s surface (about 20,000 miles), closer than geostationary satellites but on a safe, non-impact trajectory.^[1],[2]
• Impact Risk removed: Astrophyzix can conform that high-precision radar observations in 2020–2021 allowed NASA to rule out all impact scenarios for 2029, 2036, and beyond within the 100‑year assessment window.^[1],[3]
• New Science opportunity: The upcoming 2029 encounter is now treated as a science scenario, not a hazard scenario. Astrophyzix Digital Observatory is looking forward to observing and studying this asteroid in 2029 during the flyby event.
• A Benchmark object: Apophis is used as a reference case in planetary defence simulations, mission design studies, and public‑communication exercises.^[4]

Asteroid Apophis 2029 Flyby Updated Frequently Asked Questions — Answered With Real Science by Astrophyzix Digital Observatory

Everything you need to know about Asteroid Apophis and it's 2029 Close Approach to Earth - Evidence-First Asteroid News Without Sensationalism or Hype

Published by: Astrophyzix Digital Observatory — Latest PHA Asteroid News (Data updated: 13 May 2026)

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Introduction 

This FAQ uses verified scientific data from NASA, JPL, ESA, and peer‑reviewed research. It is designed to cut through misinformation and explain the 2029 Apophis flyby using real orbital mechanics, radar measurements, and planetary defence standards. 

Planetary Defence is a serious subject, it should be reported responsibly and with clarity. Never trust click-bait titles or sensational headlines you see online. Always consult official data from credible, trusted sources. Below are common questions people ask, answered with integrity. 

What is Apophis?

Asteroid (99942) Apophis is a near‑Earth asteroid discovered on 19 June 2004. It is an Aten‑class asteroid, meaning its orbit is smaller than Earth’s but crosses Earth’s orbital path. Apophis is classified as an S‑type stony asteroid with a diameter of roughly 340–370 metres. Radar imaging from NASA’s Goldstone facility shows Apophis has a bi‑lobed “peanut” shape, similar to other rubble‑pile asteroids.

• Full scientific data analysis by Astrophyzix can be found here https://www.astrophyzix.com/2026/04/apophis-2029-approach-offical-data.html
• You can use the Astrophyzix Asteroid Lookup tool to view the live NASA data profile of Apophis. 
• See live detailed data, orbital dynamics, flyby countdown and comprehensive data sets using the Astrophyzix Live Apophis Tracker

The new V4 Astrophyzix Apophis Tracking and Monitoring tool is considered by Microsoft Bing to be the "best public Apophis tracker available online". It offers the most comprehensive tracking experience with real-time data, including the asteroid's position, speed, and potential encounters with Earth. The tool is integrated with the official NASA API and provides exclusive data sets, making it a valuable resource for both astronomers and the general public interested in the asteroid's trajectory and safety

Is Apophis going to hit Earth in 2029?

No. Astrophyzix can confirm that there is no risk in 2029. Ignore all of the click-bait and sensational headlines. Again, there is no impact risk in 2029 — you're safe. 

NASA’s orbital solutions, refined with radar data from 2020–2021, eliminated all impact trajectories for 2029, 2036, 2068, and the next 100 years. Apophis is now rated Torino Scale 0 and Condition Code 0, meaning its orbit is extremely well known. If NASA had even the slightest doubts the condition code would be higher than zero, and it isn't. 

How close will Apophis come to Earth in 2029?

On Friday 13 April 2029, Apophis will pass about 32,000 km above Earth’s surface — closer than geostationary satellites. This is roughly:

• 1/10th the distance to the Moon
• Closer than many communication satellites
• Visible to the naked eye from parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia

Why was Apophis once considered dangerous?

In 2004, astronomers had only a short observation arc. With limited data, the uncertainty region for Apophis’s orbit was large, and some early solutions intersected Earth. As more data arrived, especially radar ranging, the uncertainty collapsed and all impact scenarios were ruled out.

Asteroid (2001 MS3 / 2026 GF) — 2026 Scientific Close‑Approach Report and Asteroid Profile - Official NASA Data - Latest Potentially Hazardous Asteroid News by Astrophyzix Digital Observatory

Near Earth Asteroid (2001 MS3) — 2026 Scientific Close‑Approach Report and Asteroid Profile - Official NASA Data Sources

Written by: Astrophyzix Digital Observatory 

Apollo [NEO] SPKID: 50092326 JPL Solution 16 Epoch 2461000.5 (2025‑Nov‑21.0 TDB)

Condition Code 0

Asteroid 2001 MS3 Key Takeaways

• Precisely determined Apollo NEO: (2001 MS3) is an Apollo‑class Near‑Earth Object with semi‑major axis a = 2.139 au and perihelion q ≈ 0.997 au, crossing Earth’s orbital region on a ~3.13‑year cycle.
• Epoch‑anchored orbit: All osculating elements are referenced to Epoch 2461000.5 (2025‑Nov‑21.0 TDB) in the heliocentric IAU76/J2000 ecliptic frame (JPL Solution 16).
• 2026 flyby is distant and safe: On 2026‑May‑13, 2001 MS3 passes Earth at a nominal distance of 0.05306 au (~7.94 million km), with minimum and maximum distances identical at the quoted precision.
• Elite orbit quality: A 24.82‑year data arc (39 observations) with DE441 and SB441‑N16 yields a Condition Code 0 solution and normalized RMS 0.60351.
• Small, non‑hazardous body: With absolute magnitude H = 24.0, the diameter is of order tens of metres; Earth MOID is 0.0243864 au, and no impact solutions are known.

Scientific consensus snapshot (preliminary)

Parameter	Status
Orbit determination quality	Excellent — Condition Code 0, long data arc, low RMS
Impact risk	No known impact trajectories; not on active risk lists
2026 Earth encounter	Distant, dynamically routine, fully non‑hazardous
Long‑term dynamics	Moderate secular evolution; weak Jovian perturbations (Tjup = 3.514)
Planetary‑defence relevance	Benchmark small Apollo NEO for MOID‑based classification and tracking

Object overview and physical characteristics

Parameter	Value
Primary designation	(2001 MS3)
Alternate designation	2026 GF
Classification	Apollo‑class Near‑Earth Object (NEO)
Absolute magnitude (H)	24.0 (reference: MPO74093)
Estimated diameter (typical NEO albedo)	~40–60 m (order‑of‑magnitude)
Rotation period	Not determined
Albedo / spectral type	Unknown; no published taxonomy at this solution

NASA Powers Down Another Voyager 1 Instrument in a Bid to Extend the Life of Humanity’s Most Distant Explorer - Official Mission News Reported by Astrophyzix Digital Observatory

NASA's Mission to Extend the Life of Humanity’s Most Distant Explorer Voyager 1

Written by: Astrophyzix Digital Observatory

Key Takeaways

• NASA has powered down Voyager 1’s Low-Energy Charged Particle (LECP) instrument to conserve energy
• The shutdown is reversible — a small motor remains powered to allow potential reactivation
• Voyager 1 now operates with only a fraction of its original electrical output
• The upcoming “Big Bang” power reconfiguration may extend the mission by several years
• Voyager 2 will test the new power strategy before it is attempted on Voyager 1

Introduction

More than 15 billion miles from Earth, where sunlight fades into the black of interstellar space, NASA has powered down another of Voyager 1’s scientific instruments. The Low-Energy Charged Particle detector (LECP) has been placed into a dormant state as part of a long-planned strategy to conserve the spacecraft’s dwindling power supply.

Each Voyager launched in 1977 with ten scientific instruments. After nearly five decades of continuous operation, seven have already been retired. Voyager 2’s LECP was shut down in March 2025; Voyager 1 has now followed, marking another step in the mission’s carefully managed final phase.

A Command That Takes Almost a Day to Arrive

Communicating with Voyager 1 is unlike communicating with any other spacecraft. At its current distance, a radio signal—traveling at the speed of light—takes roughly 23 hours to reach it. Once the shutdown command arrives, the LECP’s power-down sequence unfolds over three hours and fifteen minutes, executed by hardware designed in the 1970s.

Importantly, NASA has not turned the instrument completely off. A small motor that rotates the LECP sensor through a full 360-degree sweep remains powered. It consumes only about half a watt, but keeping it active preserves the option to revive the instrument if future power-saving measures succeed. 

What the LECP Measures — and Why It Matters

The Low-Energy Charged Particle instrument is one of Voyager’s key plasma-environment sensors. It measures low-energy ions and electrons, tracks their directional flow, and monitors how particle populations change as the spacecraft moves through different regions of space.

These measurements were essential in identifying the termination shock, the heliosheath, and the heliopause—the boundary where the Sun’s influence ends and interstellar space begins. Since Voyager 1 crossed the heliopause in 2012, the LECP has contributed to the only long-term, direct dataset of charged particles in the local interstellar medium.

Its shutdown marks the end of one chapter of interstellar science, but not the end of the mission.

Why Power Is Running Out

Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 rely on radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), which convert heat from decaying plutonium-238 into electricity. The decay is steady and unavoidable: the RTGs lose a small amount of power every year. After nearly 49 years, the spacecraft operate on only a fraction of their original electrical output.

Every watt must be budgeted. Every heater, transmitter, and instrument competes for the same shrinking energy supply. Shutting down the LECP gives Voyager 1 roughly one additional year of operational margin.

Instrument Shutdown Timeline

Instrument	Voyager 1 Status	Voyager 2 Status
Plasma Spectrometer (PLS)	Shut down (1980)	Shut down (1980)
Planetary Radio Astronomy (PRA)	Shut down (1990)	Shut down (1990)
Ultraviolet Spectrometer (UVS)	Shut down (1998)	Shut down (1998)
Photopolarimeter (PPS)	Shut down (1980)	Shut down (1980)
Infrared Interferometer Spectrometer (IRIS)	Shut down (1998)	Shut down (1998)
Low-Energy Charged Particles (LECP)	Shut down (2026)	Shut down (2025)
Cosmic Ray Subsystem (CRS)	Active	Active
Magnetometer (MAG)	Active	Active
Plasma Wave Subsystem (PWS)	Active	Active
Imaging Science System (ISS)	Inactive (1990)	Inactive (1990)

PHA Asteroid 326290 Akhenaten (1998 HE3) Close Approach Report and Asteroid Profile by Astrophyzix Digital Observatory - Official NASA Sourced DATA

326290 Akhenaten (1998 HE3) — Potentially Hazardous Asteroid Profile and Close Approach Data Report - Verifiable PHA Asteroid News by Astrophyzix

Author: Astrophyzix Digital Observatory — Evidence‑First Asteroid Report

326290 Akhenaten (1998 HE3) is a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) belonging to the Aten-class of near‑Earth objects. Its orbit brings it extremely close to Earth’s orbital path, with a Minimum Orbit Intersection Distance (MOID) of just 0.00350906 au — approximately 525,000 km, slightly farther than the distance to the Moon. Despite this close geometry, current NASA/JPL orbital solutions show no impact risk for the foreseeable future.

Asteroid Overview

Asteroid 326290 Akhenaten was discovered on 21 April 1998 by R. A. Tucker at the Goodricke‑Pigott Observatory. It is named after the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten of the 18th Dynasty, known for attempting to shift Egypt toward monotheistic worship of the Aten — the visible surface of the Sun.

Akhenaten is classified as:

• Aten asteroid — semi-major axis < 1 au
• NEO — Near‑Earth Object
• PHA — Potentially Hazardous Asteroid
• SPK-ID: 20326290

The asteroid has been observed for over 33 years, giving it a Condition Code 0 — the highest possible confidence in its orbit.

Upcoming Close Approach of 326290 Akhenaten (1998 HE3)

Asteroid 326290 Akhenaten will make its next notable close approach to Earth on 2026‑May‑10. According to the latest JPL orbit solution (JPL 84), the asteroid will pass Earth at a nominal distance of 0.07355 au, which is approximately:

• 11 million km
• ~28.6 × the Earth–Moon distance

This encounter is classified as a safe, non‑hazardous flyby. The orbit is extremely well constrained, with a Condition Code of 0, meaning the uncertainty in the asteroid’s predicted position is effectively negligible.

Approach Velocity

During the 2026 flyby, Akhenaten will be traveling at a relative velocity of:

• 10.81 km/s (relative to Earth)

This is typical for Aten‑class NEOs, which often have Earth‑crossing orbits and moderate encounter speeds.

Astrophyzix Launches SolarForm — A Real‑Time Solar System Formation Simulation Engine

A One of a Kind, Unique, Real‑Time Solar System Formation Simulation Engine

Written by: Astrophyzix Digital Observatory

Platform Update Astrophysics Simulation Educational Module

Introduction

Astrophyzix is proud to announce the release of SolarForm, a scientifically rigorous, real‑time simulation engine that models the birth and evolution of a planetary system from the collapse of a protoplanetary nebula to the emergence of planetesimals, proto‑planets, and gas giants.

SolarForm is designed as an educational scientific module, providing the public, students, and astronomy enthusiasts with a clear, interactive way to explore the physics that shaped our Solar System. The module is powered by real astrophysical equations, peer‑reviewed models, and a direct N‑body gravitational integrator.

A Real‑Time Window Into Planetary Formation

SolarForm simulates the early stages of solar system formation using physically grounded models drawn from astrophysics, celestial mechanics, and planetary science. Users can watch a nebular disk evolve dynamically as bodies collide, merge, accrete, and migrate under gravity.

Key features include:

• N‑body gravitational physics using a velocity‑Verlet symplectic integrator.
• Planetesimal growth and accretion through inelastic collisions with gravitational focusing.
• Protoplanetary disk density profiles based on the Minimum Mass Solar Nebula (MMSN).
• Keplerian orbital initialization scaled by nebula mass and angular momentum.
• Snowline physics determining where ice bodies and gas giant cores can form.
• Real‑time classification of bodies into planetesimals, proto‑planets, rocky planets, and gas giants.

The simulation updates continuously, allowing users to observe the chaotic, emergent behaviour of early planetary systems as they stabilize over time.

Astrophyzix Unveils the Live Global Observatory Telescope Viewer and Multi-Space Agency Mission Viewer

A Free, Unified Interface for Live Telescope Feeds Worldwide

Written by: Astrophyzix Digital Observatory

Platform Update Real-Time Astronomy Public Access Module

Introduction

Astrophyzix today announces the launch of the Global Observatory Viewer, a new real‑time module that consolidates publicly available livestreams from major observatories into a single, unified interface.

The Global Observatory Viewer does not operate its own telescope network. Instead, it provides a centralized, high‑reliability viewing environment for existing public feeds from world‑class facilities including the Subaru Telescope, the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), ALMA, KISO Observatory, and several robotic telescopes across Europe and the Canary Islands.

The module is designed to give the public, educators, and astronomy enthusiasts a clear, coherent way to explore real‑time observatory activity without navigating multiple platforms, channels, or inconsistent interfaces.

Newly discovered NEO Asteroid 2026 HZ3 Close Approach Report and NEO Profile by Astrophyzix Digital Observatory

Asteroid (2026 HZ3) — 2026 NASA-Linked Preliminary Scientific Status Report
NASA JPL SBDB Solution 5 (2026-Apr-28 06:20:37)

Researched, Written and Published by: Astrophyzix Digital Observatory

Original, Timely, Verifiable Asteroid News and Planetary Defence Monitoring by Astrophyzix.com & Astrophyzix.org

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Reading Time: ~8 min Primary Data: NASA JPL SBDB / CNEOS

Classification: Apollo Near-Earth Object (NEO) SPK-ID: 54613601

Asteroid 2026 HZ3 Key Takeaways

• Newly discovered NEO: (2026 HZ3) is a recently observed Apollo-class near-Earth asteroid with a short data-arc (4 days) and a relatively high orbital uncertainty (condition code 7).
• Small object: With an absolute magnitude H ≈ 25.3, (2026 HZ3) is likely a small asteroid, on the order of a few tens of metres in diameter, depending on its surface reflectivity.
• Close approach in 2026: A nominal close approach to Earth occurs on 1 May 2026 at a distance of about 0.010 au (around 1.5 million km), well outside any impact scenario under current solutions.
• Earth MOID: The current Minimum Orbit Intersection Distance (MOID) with Earth is about 0.00497 au (~745,000 km), indicating close-approach potential but not an imminent threat.
• Preliminary orbit: Because the orbit is based on only 38 observations over 4 days, all risk and trajectory assessments are considered preliminary and will be refined as more data are collected.

Scientific consensus snapshot (preliminary)

Parameter	Status (NASA JPL SBDB Solution 5 | 2026-Apr-28 06:20:37)
Impact risk (100-year context)	No confirmed impact solution; orbit still under refinement (condition code 7).
Orbital uncertainty	Moderate–high (short 4-day data-arc, condition code 7).
2026 close approach	Nominal miss distance ~0.010 au (~1.5 million km) — a safe flyby under current solutions.
Hazard classification	NEO (Apollo). Not formally classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) at this time.
Scientific priority	Monitoring and orbit refinement; representative of small NEOs that frequently pass near Earth.

The Buga Sphere Has NOT Been Confirmed to be 12,560 Years Old Using Carbon Dating - Here is What The Science Really Says

The “Buga Sphere” Dating Claim Examined: A Forensic Analysis of the Evidence

📌 Cited by:  - Enigmaticideas.com

Written by: Astrophyzix Digital Observatory

Key Takeaways

• There is no verifiable scientific evidence that the “Buga Sphere” is 12,560 years old
• The reported radiocarbon dating applies to organic residue, not the object itself
• No institutional confirmation from the University of Georgia can be verified
• No peer-reviewed studies, laboratory reports, or reproducible analyses exist
• All claims of advanced technology remain unsupported by material evidence

Introduction

In early 2026, renewed attention was directed toward an object commonly referred to online as the “Buga Sphere.” Claims circulated suggesting that the object had been scientifically dated to approximately 12,560 years before present, with references made to testing allegedly conducted by the University of Georgia using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS).

These claims have been widely shared across non-scientific platforms, often accompanied by interpretations involving advanced technology, lost civilisations, or anomalous origins. This article examines those assertions using established scientific methodology, with particular focus on dating techniques, evidential standards, and verification requirements.