‘City killer’ asteroid coming close, but zero chance of hitting Earth
- Newly discovered asteroid, named 2023 DZ2, is expected to safely fly by on Saturday, according to Nasa
- Scientists estimate its size somewhere between 40 metres and 90 metres, around the size of a small skyscraper
An asteroid big enough to wipe out a city will zip harmlessly between Earth and the moon’s orbit this weekend, missing both celestial bodies.
Saturday’s close encounter will offer astronomers the chance to study a space rock from just over 168,000km away. That’s less than half the distance from here to the moon, making it visible through binoculars and small telescopes.
While asteroid fly-bys are common, Nasa said it’s rare for one so big to come so close – about once a decade. Scientists estimate its size somewhere between 40 metres and 90 metres.
Discovered a month ago, the asteroid known as 2023 DZ2 will pass within 515,000km of the moon on Saturday and, several hours later, buzz the Indian Ocean at about 28,000km/h.
“There is no chance of this ‘city killer’ striking Earth, but its close approach offers a great opportunity for observations,” the European Space Agency’s planetary defence chief Richard Moissl said in a statement.
Astronomers with the International Asteroid Warning Network see it as good practice for planetary defence if and when a dangerous asteroid heads our way, according to Nasa.