In April 2029, the world will witness a rare astronomical event when asteroid 99942 Apophis passes near Earth at a distance of less than 32,000 kilometers in an extraordinary approach that makes it closer to some satellites in geostationary orbit. However, there may be an unexpected surprise awaiting it during this historic journey.

Although scientists have confirmed after years of precise calculations that the asteroid, which is about 370 meters in diameter, does not pose a threat to our planet, a new study has revealed another, more unusual possibility: that the danger from Apophis may not be to Earth, but rather from Earth to Apophis.

Researchers have warned that space debris resulting from human activity could threaten this rare scientific opportunity. One of the fragments or invisible objects in high Earth orbit could collide with the asteroid during its close approach.

Physicist Giulia Zitino and astrophysicist Alessandro Rossi from the National Institute for Nuclear Physics applied physics institute studied the possibility of Apophis colliding with human-made objects as it crosses the geostationary orbit region.

Scientists had expected that the chances of this happening would be almost non-existent, but simulations have revealed a small but real possibility of a space object approaching or colliding with the asteroid.

The concern is not that the collision will change Apophis’s trajectory or make it a danger to Earth, but rather that it could complicate scientists’ efforts to understand its gravitational effects. The gravity of our planet is expected to cause changes in the asteroid's rotation and possibly trigger landslides on its surface, revealing its internal secrets.

Two spacecraft, the European Space Agency's RAMSES mission and NASA's OSIRIS-APEX mission, are preparing to observe Apophis’s passage up close, in an attempt to obtain unprecedented data about the nature and evolution of asteroids, according to "sciencealert".

Researchers see Apophis' passage as a historic opportunity to study near-Earth objects, but it also highlights a growing problem: the increasing amount of invisible space debris surrounding our planet.