Apophis

[uh-poh-fis]

noun

Egyptian Mythology.

1. a demon serpent of darkness whom Ra, as sun god, destroys every morning at dawn.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Apophis¹

< Greek Ápophis < Egyptian; Apepi

Example Sentences

The most serious near-miss, and the closest comparison with YR4, was an asteroid called Apophis which was first spotted in 2004 and measured 375 meters across, or around the size of a cruise ship.

From BBC

But since Apophis, there have been huge advances in what is called planetary defence.

From BBC

Yes, astronomers point to asteroid 99942 Apophis, 1,099 feet wide and first identified in 2004.

From Los Angeles Times

During early assessments of impact risk, Apophis reached a rating of Torino Scale 4, which is a scale for categorizing potential Earth impact events.

From Los Angeles Times

Upon gathering further observational data and assessment, scientists ruled out the impact probability for Apophis, for now, with a small chance of impact in 2068 declared unlikely.

From Los Angeles Times