Asteroid expected to pass near earth Saturday
A newly discovered, 200-foot asteroid will come super close to our planet on Saturday. Dubbed 2023 DZ2, the space rock is expected to safely pass by Earth at less than half the distance of the moon, according to Earth Sky. Its closest approach is set to occur at around 2:51 p.m. CT.
First detected by astronomers at the observatory of La Palma in the Canary Islands, Spain in late February and first announced on March 16, 2023, DZ2 is currently estimated to be 210 feet in diameter, per Earth Sky. However, its true size could range between 141 and 312 feet in diameter. Classified as a Near Earth Object, the asteroid orbits the Sun every 3.16 years and traveling at a speed of 17,403 miles per hour, which is relatively slow compared to other asteroids astronomers have studied.
"While close approaches are a regular occurrence, one by an asteroid of this size (140-310 ft) happens only about once per decade, providing a unique opportunity for science," tweeted NASA Asteroid Watch on Tuesday. Astronomers with the International Asteroid Warning Network are using the close approach to learn as much as possible about the asteroid, which is good practice for if there's a potential asteroid threat in the future.
Stargazers wanting to observe the visitor will have the best opportunity to see the 2023 DZ2 on Friday evening using a six-inch or larger telescopes from the Northern Hemisphere. Per Earth Sky, it should appear as a "slow-moving star" passing in front of the fixed stars in the sky above the southeastern horizon, east of the constellations Orion, Canis Major and Canis Minor. The Virtual Telescope Project is also hosting a live stream of the asteroid at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday.
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Not too many people have a six-inch telescope but perhaps those who do and capture the passing on video.
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