Fortunately for us, an asteroid large enough to destroy a city will miss both the Earth and the Moon this weekend when it passes between their orbits.
A month ago, the object, designated 2023 DZ2, was found.
It will sail past the Moon at 19:49 GMT on Saturday and then come within 175,000 kilometers of Earth.
It is unusual for an asteroid with a diameter estimated to be between 40 and 90 meters to pass so close to the earth.
It’s been described by astronomers as a once every ten years event.
In the event if a potentially harmful object with the potential to strike Earth were discovered, it would be crucial for astronomers to improve their understanding of asteroids, according to Nasa.
Richard Moissl, head of planetary defense at the European Space Agency, said that there is no chance that this “city killer” will strike Earth, but its close proximity presents a fantastic opportunity for observations.
Preliminary data, according to Mr. Moissl, indicated that 2023 DZ2 was “a scientifically fascinating object.” He did, however, caution that further information was required to ascertain the asteroid’s composition.
The asteroid may be visible through binoculars and handheld telescopes all throughout the world due to its close approach to the Earth.
The Virtual Telescope Project will provide a live web feed of its approach.
The object appears to be headed back towards Earth’s orbit in 2026, but experts have determined that it won’t pose a threat to the planet at that time either.