Asteroid 99942 Apophis makes its closest approach to Earth at about 21:46 UTC on April 13, 2029. But what time is that on your clock, and will it be dark where you are? Choose a city below to find out. The calculator works out the local time using your browser's time zone data, and the Sun's height above the horizon from the date, time and coordinates.
This calculator tells you whether the sky will be dark at closest approach. It does not tell you whether Apophis will be above your horizon. For that you need a sky app once NASA publishes the final orbit data. See How to Watch the Apophis Flyby and the stargazing apps guide.
| City | Local time | UTC offset | Sky at that moment |
|---|---|---|---|
| London, United Kingdom | 22:46 | +01:00 | Dark night |
| Lisbon, Portugal | 22:46 | +01:00 | Dark night |
| Madrid, Spain | 23:46 | +02:00 | Dark night |
| Paris, France | 23:46 | +02:00 | Dark night |
| Berlin, Germany | 23:46 | +02:00 | Dark night |
| Rome, Italy | 23:46 | +02:00 | Dark night |
| Zagreb, Croatia | 23:46 | +02:00 | Dark night |
| Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina | 23:46 | +02:00 | Dark night |
| Belgrade, Serbia | 23:46 | +02:00 | Dark night |
| Ljubljana, Slovenia | 23:46 | +02:00 | Dark night |
| Athens, Greece | 00:46 | +03:00 | Dark night |
| Istanbul, Turkey | 00:46 (Apr 14) | +03:00 | Dark night |
| Moscow, Russia | 00:46 (Apr 14) | +03:00 | Dark night |
| Casablanca, Morocco | 21:46 | +00:00 | Dark night |
| Lagos, Nigeria | 22:46 | +01:00 | Dark night |
| Cairo, Egypt | 23:46 | +02:00 | Dark night |
| Nairobi, Kenya | 00:46 (Apr 14) | +03:00 | Dark night |
| Johannesburg, South Africa | 23:46 | +02:00 | Dark night |
| Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 01:46 (Apr 14) | +04:00 | Dark night |
| Mumbai, India | 03:16 (Apr 14) | +05:30 | Dark night |
| Tokyo, Japan | 06:46 (Apr 14) | +09:00 | Daylight |
| Sydney, Australia | 07:46 (Apr 14) | +10:00 | Daylight |
| New York, United States | 17:46 | -04:00 | Daylight |
| Los Angeles, United States | 14:46 | -07:00 | Daylight |
| Sao Paulo, Brazil | 18:46 | -03:00 | Astronomical twilight |
At 21:46 UTC, the Sun is below the horizon over Europe, Africa and western Asia, so the sky is dark or in twilight there, while it is still daytime over much of the Americas' west and eastern Asia is already past midnight or morning. Apophis will also be at its brightest and closest, about 32,000 km above the surface, at that moment, which is why those regions are expected to have the best view. Read the full explanation in Apophis 2029: Everything You Need to Know.
The closest approach moment is the same for everyone, 21:46 UTC. What differs is the local clock time and whether the Sun is up.
A dark sky is necessary but not enough: the asteroid must also be above your horizon, and the weather must be clear. Apophis is expected to reach about magnitude 3 to 4, visible to the naked eye in a dark location.
The predicted closest approach time is based on NASA/JPL orbit calculations and may be refined by a few minutes as more observations are made before 2029.
Facts in this article are drawn from public scientific sources. For primary information, see: