Massive asteroid expected to pass by Earth this weekend
The asteroid named 2023 DZ2, large enough to destroy a city, is expected to pass between the orbits of the Earth and the Moon this weekend.
Discovered a month ago, the asteroid is set to pass within 515,000km of the moon, before flying by Earth hours later on Saturday, reports BBC.
According to experts, it is rare for such a huge asteroid, which approximately measures 40 and 90 metres in diameter, to come so close to Earth.
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Astronomers will use this event to increase their knowledge of asteroids, in the event that a dangerous object was discovered with the potential to hit Earth, reveals NASA.
"There is no chance of this 'city killer' striking Earth, but its close approach offers a great opportunity for observations," said the European Space Agency's planetary defence chief, Richard Moissl.
The Virtual Telescope Project will be broadcasting the event. The asteroid can also be seen through binoculars and small telescopes across the globe.
The object looks set to return towards Earth's orbit in 2026, but scientists have ruled it out as a threat to the planet on that occasion, too.
