By moving faster, this asteroid has the potential to hit Earth in 2068

Hitekno.com – The asteroid Apophis has attracted the attention of scientists, even under closer scrutiny. The reason is that this giant rock has the opportunity to hit Earth in 2068.

More terrifying, the space rock was detected to be moving faster than usual and undergoing a shift in orbit.

Asteroid Apophis will approach Earth as soon as possible on Friday, April 13, 2029. But its arrival in 2068 has scientists worried, because at that time its chance of hitting Earth is about 1 in 150,000, still relatively small.

Scientists recently discovered that the asteroid Apophis is not only moving faster, but its orbit is also moving 170 meters per year.

This orbital shift is thought to have an impact on the magnitude of the chance that the 340-meter-long rock will hit Earth.

Asteroid Apophis has been reported LiveScience This week, it experiences a shift in its orbit and a change in speed as it radiates the heat it receives from solar radiation. This is referred to as the Yarkovsky acceleration.

“Basically the heat emitted back by the asteroid makes it slightly pushed (back out of orbit)“explained David Tholen, astronomer at the University of Hawaii, United States.

As a result of this orbital shift, scientists suspect that the possibility of the asteroid Aphophis hitting Earth in 2068 could be even greater.

“The collision scenario of 2068 has not yet been removed. We really need to track this asteroid, “kata Tholen.

The asteroid Apophis, first discovered in 2004, will pass close to Earth in 2029 and 2036. Astronomers hope to be able to calculate with greater certainty whether the Earth will crash in 2068.

When it was discovered in 2004, scientists estimated that Apophis had a 3% chance of hitting Earth in 2029. But when the research was repeated, it turned out that the prediction was wrong.

Tholen’s own team discovered changes in the trajectory of the asteroid Apophis in January and March, after following the asteroid’s journey using the Subaru telescope in Hawaii.

These are the increasingly rigorous observations of the asteroid Apophis by scientists. Additionally, this space rock has the potential to hit Earth and move faster. (Suara.com/ Liberty Jemadu).