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Apophis, named after the god of chaos, could potentially hit Earth in 2068. The strike potential would be equivalent to 880 million tons of trinitrotoluene (TNT) exploding simultaneously.
Astronomer Dave Tholen and his colleagues confirmed the detection of a small Yarkovsky acceleration on the surface of the asteroid.
The Yarkovsky effect occurs when an asteroid or a celestial body changes its orbit due to a small heat boost.
This could happen by expelling gases or gravitational motion from celestial bodies, including the Sun and Earth.
It could cause a slight thermal reaction that could change the asteroid’s path.
Apophis was first spotted on June 19, 2004 by experts from the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona.
Astronomers found that the asteroid had accelerated when they observed it with the Subaru telescope earlier this year.
According to Tholan, the odds that Apophis will hit Earth in 2068 are one in 530,000.
Tholan said: “We have long known that an impact with the Earth is not possible during the close approach of 2029.
“The new observations we got with the Subaru telescope earlier this year were good enough to reveal Apophis’ Yarkovsky acceleration, and show that the asteroid is moving away from a purely gravitational orbit of about 170 meters. per year, which is enough to keep the 2068 impact scenario in play. “
A statement from the University of Hawaii reads: “All asteroids need to reactivate the energy absorbed by sunlight as heat in order to maintain thermal balance, a process that slightly changes the asteroid’s orbit.
“Before the detection of Yarkovsky’s acceleration on Apophis, astronomers had concluded that a potential impact with the Earth in 2068 was impossible.
“The detection of this effect acting on Apophis means that the 2068 impact scenario is still a possibility.
“Further observations are underway to refine the magnitude of the Yarkovksy effect and how it affects Apophis’ orbit.
“Astronomers will know well before 2068 if there is any possibility of impact.”
The warning comes after NASA revealed it was planning a mission to a metal asteroid valued at an estimated 7,700 quadrillion pounds (10,000 quadrillion dollars).
The asteroid, called 16 Psyche, has a diameter of about 140 miles and is one of the largest objects in the main belt of asteroids orbiting between Mars and Jupiter.
Dr Tracy Becker, a planetary scientist at the Southwest Research Institute, said, “We have seen meteorites that are mostly metallic, but Psyche may be unique in that it could be an asteroid made entirely of iron and nickel.
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