Skyscraper-sized asteroid to cross between Earth and Moon's orbit tomorrow
An asteroid, large enough to wipe out an entire city, will cross between the Earth and Moon's orbit on March 25. Fortunately, it is expected to shoot past our home planet, and the Moon, without causing any harm. Dubbed 2023 DZ2, the skyscraper-sized asteroid is three times the size of the one that caused the disaster in Chelyabinsk, Russia in 2013.
Why does this story matter?
The reason why asteroid 2023 DZ2 has sparked interest among astronomers is that it will come about half as close as the Moon. The close encounter presents a unique opportunity for scientists to study the space rock up close. It is rare for asteroids as big as 2023 DZ2 to come this close, and such events occur only about once a decade, per NASA.
The asteroid will harmlessly cross Earth at 28,000km/hr
Asteroid 2023 DZ2 will make a close encounter with Earth at 19:52 UTC on March 25 (1:22 am IST, March 26) and fly past about 168,000 kilometers away. The space rock measures somewhere between 144 and 325 feet in diameter and is predicted to cross us at a speed of 28,000km/hr. The asteroid will pass within 515,000 kilometers of the Moon.
The asteroid will appear like a slow-moving star
From the northern hemisphere, skywatchers with 6-inch telescopes or larger will be able to catch sight of the asteroid on the evening of March 24. When observed through a telescope from the northern hemisphere, the asteroid will look like a slow-moving star over the southeastern horizon and will cross east of the constellations of Orion, Canis Major, and Canis Minor, according to EarthSky.
The space rock was first discovered about a month ago
Asteroid 2023 DZ2 was first spotted about a month ago by astronomers at the La Palma Observatory in the Canary Islands in February 2023, according to EarthSky. It is called an Apollo-class asteroid since it crosses Earth's orbit. Though the exact origin of the asteroid is not known, most near-Earth asteroids originate from the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
The Chelyabinsk asteroid exploded just about 22 kilometers above Russia
Given our recent advances in planetary defense—the DART mission—there might not be a reason to worry about looming asteroids in the future. However, if 2023 DZ2 were to make its way to Earth, it may cause unimaginable damage. In 2013, the Chelyabinsk asteroid, which exploded just about 22 kilometers above Russia, was about 59 feet long and injured more than 1,600 people.
Asteroid 2023 DZ2 will come our way again in 2026
From what is known about the orbit of 2023 DZ2 so far, it is predicted that there is a 1-in-430 chance that it will impact Earth on March 27, 2026. Fortunately, astronomers have ruled out that possibility.
