An asteroid larger than the Eiffel Tower is set to pass Earth “exceptionally close” as scientists launch a spacecraft to monitor the space rock. The asteroid, named 99942 Apophis – named after the Egyptian God of chaos – is expected to pass in 2029. Experts warn that it will fly past Earth closer than the geostationary satellites used for TV broadcasting, navigation and weather forecasting. It will be the first asteroid in a number of thousand years to pass so close to Earth. The exact date it is set to fly past is Friday, April 13, 2029. In order to monitor the space rock, researchers at the …
