Scientists finds that asteroid apophis is speeding up, may possible to hit earth in 2068

 A team of scientists from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA have conducted a new study where they have factored in a phenomenon left out earlier to calculate the chances of the asteroid apophis colliding with Earth. The reassessment has shown that there is a tiny impact probability which stands at around 1 in 1,50,000.

                            

It has a chance of 2.7 % to collide with earth in 2029 during its close flyby. But it is predicted to collide with earth in 2068 

The speeding up of this asteriod is mainly due to YARKOVSKY ACCELERATION, which means a continuous slight push by the sunlight.This happens under certain circumstances when the sun heats up an asteroid unevenly thus resulting in asymmetric radiation of heat energy from the space rock. This in turn leads to slight changes in the orbit of an asteroid.

                                    

Apophis 99942(god of Chaos) is a Near earth asteroid with a dimeter of 370 meters. It is dicovered during its close fly by on 2004. It is a S- type asteriod (which contains mostly of silicate rocks). The asteroid has a mass of 26.99 billion kgs.

All space agencies are ready with the prevention of the impact from the asteriod there are various methods to deflect an asteriods.

 Kinetic impact

 Asteroid gravity tractor

 Focused solar energy

 Asteroid laser ablation

In 2019, Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, said that despite the asteroid’s “great name” he would not worry about this “special” asteroid.

However, he warned that “a big rock will eventually hit the earth and we have no defense for it.”

99942 The Earth’s size and proximity to Apophis make it a near-Earth object (NEO), and in this case, a “potentially dangerous” one.

NASA unveiled a 20-page plan in 2018 stating that the US should be better prepared for NEOs, such as asteroids and comets that fall within 30 million miles of the planet.

A recent survey showed that Americans prefer a space program that focuses on the possible asteroid impacts of sending humans back to the Moon or Mars.