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Rotating asteroids have a tough time sticking to their orbits. Their surfaces heat up during the day and cool down at night, giving off radiation that can act as a sort of mini-thruster. This force, called the Yarkovsky effect, can cause rotating asteroids to drift widely over time, making it hard for scientists to predict their long-term risk to Earth. Watch this video on the NASAexplorer YouTube channel.For complete transcript, click here. || Near-Earth asteroids like Bennu pose a potential danger to our planet, so it s shape, brightness, and surface features. These factors are thought to influence the Yarkovsky effect, and understanding how will enable scientists to better predict the orbit of Bennu and other near-Earth asteroids. || ANIMATION - Sunlight alters the orbit of a rotating asteroid via the Yarkovsky effect.