Telescope Project The asteroid will be visible from Earth through binoculars
An asteroid large enough to destroy a city will pass between the orbits of the Earth and the Moon this weekend - luckily for us, missing both.
The object, named 2023 DZ2, was discovered a month ago.
On Saturday, it will pass within 515,000km of the moon, before flying by Earth hours later.
It is rare for such a huge asteroid - estimated to be between 40 and 90 metres in diameter - to come so close to the planet.
According to Nasa, it's an important opportunity for astronomers to increase their knowledge of asteroids, in the event that a dangerous object were discovered with the potential to hit Earth.
"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.
As it is passing just 68,000km away, the asteroid will be visible through binoculars and small telescopes across the globe.
A live web broadcast of its approach will be provided by The Virtual Telescope Project.
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.
A newly discovered asteroid more than 200 feet wide will zoom in between Earth and the moon Saturday afternoon in an occurrence NASA says happens only once a decade.
The asteroid, 2023 DZ2, was discovered in February by astronomers at the observatory of La Palma in the Canary Islands, Spain, according to EarthSky. Since then, astronomers have continued to observe the asteroid to get a better idea of its size and orbit. NASA says the asteroid could be anywhere from 134 to 305 feet in diameter.
The asteroid is expected to pass the Earth at about 100,000 miles away – about half the distance to the Moon – at about 3:51 p.m. EDT, NASA said Saturday on Twitter.
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Though the asteroid will safely pass by our planet, there is a slim chance we could have an impact in a few years. Here's what to know about the asteroid:
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Astronomers to observe 2023 DZ2
NASA said 2023 DZ2 will provide a "unique opportunity for science," because an asteroid of its size has a close approach only about once a decade.
The agency said astronomers with the International Asteroid Warning Network will observe the approach to learn more about planetary defense, which NASA has practiced with its DART spacecraft.
2023 DZ2 could hit Earth in 2026
This won't be the only time 2023 DZ2 will have a close encounter with our planet. EarthSky said early data showed the asteroid has a 1-in-38-million chance to hit Earth on March 27, 2026.
NASA says an asteroid like 2023 DZ2, which is larger than 82 feet but smaller than 3,280 feet, would "likely cause local damage to the impact area."
Asteroids' close encounters with Earth
Asteroids are constantly approaching Earth, and some actually do hit our planet, although they typically turn into dazzling fireballs that don't harm anybody.
Earlier this month, NASA said it was beginning to monitor 2023 DW, an asteroid with a diameter of about 160 feet that has a "very small chance" of hitting our planet on Feb. 14, 2046. But it probably will miss Earth by more than 1.1 million miles.
Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Asteroid as large as 300 feet wide due to pass between Earth and the moon Saturday afternoon.
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