Apophis was first forecast to have a 2.7% probability of hitting Earth in April 2029, but further observations found that it will surely miss.
Still, Apophis will pass within 20,000 miles of the surface of Earth, less than a tenth the distance to the moon and within the orbits of some satellites.
Scientists are hoping to observe it with a robotic space probe as it passes to determine how the asteroid's gravitational interaction with Earth distorts the structure of the rock, information that could help researchers figure out ways to deflect the orbits of asteroids that are on a hazardous trajectory.