Each week I pick out my favourite astronomy news item. This week something was reported that I don’t think got a huge amount of press, but its implications are staggering.

There is an asteroid heading towards earth and it’s named Apophis. So what are the odds? Well not so long ago the odds were actually an alarming 2.7% chance of a 2036 hit.  The risk has been downgraded recently to 4 in a million, but it is still expected to pass a short 18,000 miles away from earth which is INSIDE our geostationary orbits (satellites  which remain stationary above a point on earth).

Artist’s conception of 2008 TC3 approaching the Earth. Credit: SETI Institute.

Read here for more details.