This weekend, an asteroid vast enough to destroy a city will pass safely between Earth and the moon's orbit, avoiding both while giving scientists a chance to study the asteroid up close.
Although asteroid flybys are common, Nasa stated that it is unusual for one to get this near and that occasions like this happened only around once in ten years. Its diameter is thought to range from 40 to 90 meters, according to scientists.
According to NASA, the asteroid 2023 DW is moving towards Earth.
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The asteroid 2023 DZ2, which was discovered a month ago, will pass the moon on Saturday, US time, at a distance of 515,000 kilometers, and then swing past the Earth at a speed of approximately 28,000 km/h. Astronomers will be able to investigate a space rock from a little over 68,000 kilometers away, thanks to the close encounter. Binoculars and small telescopes will be able to see the asteroid because it is less than half the distance between us and the moon.
Richard Moissl, the European Space Agency’s planetary defense chief, mentioned in a statement, “There is no chance of this ‘city killer’ striking Earth, but its close approach offers a great opportunity for observations”.
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