What is the Apophis asteroid that will collide with Earth in 2029? A celestial body numbered 99942 is approaching Earth. The name Apophis—“The Great Serpent”—was given to it in honor of the ancient Egyptian demon who sought to destroy the world. In September 2024, Canadian astronomer Paul Wiegert recalculated its trajectory and published an article in The Planetary Science Journal. He concluded that if the asteroid collides with another celestial body along the way, it could alter its course and hit Earth on April 13, 2029. The challenge in confirming or disproving these calculations lies in the fact that until 2027, the asteroid will be hidden behind the Sun’s rays, complicating efforts to study its path.