Another newly discovered space rock will safely pass by Earth, this time on March 25, 2023. It will sweep about half the distance between Earth and the Moon. Astronomers at the La Palma Observatory, in the Canary Islands, Spain, discovered the asteroid in late February 2023. Amateur astronomers may catch a glimpse of the asteroid as it passes quickly. Check out the chart at the bottom of this post.
The closest approach to Earth is believed to have occurred around 19:52 UTC (15:52 EDT) on March 25. But the exact time and other details may be updated as more records emerge.
The asteroid has been given a name DZD 2023 2. It is part of the Apollo family from asteroids. Current estimates place the size of the 2023 DZ2 at around 210 feet (64 meters) in diameter.
As of March 20, 2023, there have been 122 observations of the asteroid’s new orbit for 63.8 days. The new observations will further define the space rock’s orbit and allow scientists to get a more accurate estimate of its size, which can be between 144 and 325 feet (44 and 99 meters) in diameter.
For comparison, the asteroid that passed Chelyabinsk, Russia, in February 2013 was a space rock about 65 feet (20 meters) in diameter. Watch a video comparison of the size of the asteroids here.
2023 DZ2 is classified as a NEO (Near Earth Object). It orbits the sun every 3.17 years.
Low impact risk in 2026
Like many newly discovered asteroids – whose orbits are not fully known – they are still in their early stages. analysis Traces of space rock indicate a very small chance, 1 in 430, that the asteroid will hit Earth on March 27, 2026.
But – with more observations – astronomers will probably rule out even this small risk.
seen in a small telescope
Asteroid 2023 DZ2 will pass within 0.5 months (half the distance between the Earth and the Moon) from the Earth’s surface. The relative proximity will allow observers to view the space rock with telescopes six inches (15 cm) in diameter and larger.
The space rock is traveling at 17.426 mph (28.044 km/h), or 7.79 km/s, relative to Earth. While that seems like an enormous speed for what we know on Earth, this is a relatively slow asteroid unlike other space rocks astronomers study.
Since the asteroid will pass half the distance between Earth and the Moon, that small distance will make it appear as a “slow-moving star” in the field of small telescopes. And you can even detect their movements in real time!
One of the best techniques sky enthusiasts use to catch asteroids is to point the telescope at a known star in the asteroid’s path. Then just wait for the slowly moving space rock to appear. Fortunately, many small telescopes now include computerized, manual Go-To controls. Thus, you can point the instrument at a reference star to catch a glimpse of passing objects.
When is the best time to view asteroid 2023 DZ2?
We found the best time to view asteroid 2023 DZ2 from the Northern Hemisphere early on Friday evening, March 24, 2023. Good luck, and clear skies to you!
Bottom line: The newly discovered asteroid 2023 DZ2 will safely pass Earth less than half as far as the Moon on March 25, 2023. People with telescopes should be able to see the visitor.
