Astronomy enthusiasts are in for a treat as an asteroid is set to pass close to Earth today, offering a unique opportunity for scientists to learn more about the space rock. Dubbed 2023 DZ2, the asteroid is expected to fly between Earth and the moon at a speed exceeding 17,400 miles per hour. NASA has assigned it a rarity score of three, as this kind of occurrence only happens roughly once per decade.
Close Pass on Friday and Saturday
2023 DZ2 is expected to make its closest approach to Earth in the afternoon on March 25, around 3:50 p.m. Eastern time. While it will pass at a distance of more than 100,000 miles away, scientists suggest that standard telescopes may still be able to spot the asteroid in the night sky. Those in the northern hemisphere will likely have the best opportunity to observe the asteroid in the evening on Friday, March 24.
Learning More About Asteroids
Astronomers at the observatory of La Palma in Spain’s Canary Islands discovered 2023 DZ2 in late February and have since been studying the rock to note its orbit, size, and anticipated trajectory. Despite initial concerns that the asteroid presented a possible risk of colliding with Earth during a future orbit, officials have since removed it from the Sentry risk table, a monitoring system developed to keep a running catalog of space objects that hold any risk of colliding with Earth over at least the next 100 years.
NASA has been sharing updates on the asteroid’s progress on Twitter, confirming that the asteroid is not expected to collide with Earth. The agency has stated that the close approach of the asteroid will offer an opportunity for scientists to learn more about asteroids, helping them prepare for any “potential asteroid threat” that could be discovered in the future.
“Astronomers with the International Asteroid Warning Network are using this approach to learn as much as possible about 2023 DZ2 in a short time period – good practice for p lanetary defense in the future if a potential asteroid threat were ever discovered,” wrote NASA in a tweet.
Another asteroid, named 2023 DW, was also discovered in February, potentially carrying a larger risk of impacting Earth in the foreseeable future. The asteroid was ranked number one on the European Space Agency’s Risk List and was given a 1 in 607 chance of impacting Earth. However, it is not anticipated to pose an “unusual level of danger.”
The passing of 2023 DZ2 is a rare occurrence and an excellent opportunity for scientists to study asteroids and learn more about their properties. While it is not expected to pose any threat to Earth, it serves as a reminder of the importance of studying space objects.
