Online Simulator: Orbits of Near-Earth Asteroids

Image description: If Apophis falls into the ocean, it will cause a wave as high as the ocean floor.

The Dance of Near-Earth Asteroids

Using the Astronoo interactive simulator: With this simulator, you will see the revolution of asteroids from all angles and their orbits located between Mars and Jupiter. Initially, you are "above" the solar system (a view from the celestial north pole) and the passage of time is set to 10 days per second, allowing you to see the planets and asteroids rotating on their orbits, but you can go into the future or return to the past using the buttons at the top. You can zoom in (top right) inside the solar system while letting the asteroids rotate.

With the arrows at the bottom right, you can tilt the orbital planes of the asteroids, and if you want more information, see more or fewer orbits, use the buttons at the bottom left.

N.B.: You will notice that the objects have variable speeds; they follow Kepler's law of areas (Johannes Kepler, 1571-1630). As they approach perihelion (the closest point to the Sun), the objects accelerate; as they approach aphelion (the farthest point from the Sun), they slow down. To see the distances (in millions of km), click on the aphelion/perihelion button.

Play with the mouse too: A click in the simulator gives you control to reorient the solar system and get the desired view; the objects continue to rotate around the Sun. Click again to freeze the view and zoom in.

N.B.: Be careful, the closer the objects are to you, the larger they appear.

The Next Possible Catastrophe is Called Apophis!

In 2004, Apophis (2004 MN4), a new asteroid 270 meters long, updated in January 2013 to 325 meters, was discovered, announcing the end of the world for April 13, 2029. On that day, Apophis was supposed to fall right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and cause a giant tsunami.

Later, more precise calculations indicated that Apophis would be closest to Earth in 2029, at a quarter of the Earth-Moon distance, about 90,000 km, updated in January 2013 to about 30,000 km. But if, on April 13, 2029, Apophis passes through a 600-meter-wide area of space, called the keyhole, it risks brushing past Earth on the next pass, that is, April 13, 2036, still with a limited risk of collision.

We are reassured, unfortunately, if in 2036 it passes by again, it will return, again and again, until it hits us. These data will be refined in the coming years as they are still uncertain due to the fact that Apophis' orbit, like that of all other bodies, is sensitive to initial conditions that arise from the laws of chaos.

The orbits of asteroids are significantly affected by the gravitational perturbations caused by other bodies in the solar system, particularly Jupiter.

If Apophis falls into the ocean, it will cause a wave as high as the ocean floor. We can easily imagine the oceanic monster reaching the continental coasts. The power of the wave would be such that it would cause earthquakes in its path. It is no wonder that Apophis' destructive potential impresses scientists.

Its name was well chosen, as in Egyptian mythology, Apophis is the god of evil and destruction, the personification of chaos, seeking to annihilate divine creation.

Humanity will one day have to repel this god of evil in a cosmic battle of titans.