An asteroid that has been nicknamed after the Egyptian God of Chaos is speeding up, scientists recently revealed. Scientifically known as 99942 Apophis, the massive, 1,120-foot-wide space rock will fly within 23,441 miles above Earth's surface on April 13, 2029, as well as in 2036. The Yarkovsky effect, or Yarkovsky acceleration, is caused by the sun heating the space rock unevenly, resulting in a "process that slightly changes the orbit of the asteroid," the statement added. The chances of 99942 Apophis impacting Earth are still low -- previously calculated at about 1 in 150,000 by the Center for Near-Earth Studies -- but it's enough to give scientists a pause for concern. The size and proximity to Earth of 99942 Apophis make it a near-Earth object (NEO), and in this case, a "potentially hazardous" one.

Source: Fox News November 12, 2020 13:07 UTC