March is a big month for stargazers. No, really: not only will we experience five planets lining up in the night sky this week, but a huge asteroid will also pass between Earth and the Moon over the weekend.
The asteroid, named 2023 DZ2, was detected on February 27 by astronomers at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory in the Canary Islands. It comes after another one the size of a London bus passed Earth in January, as well as a green comet, which whizzed by for the first time in 50,000 years. Talk about spoiling us!
If you play your cards right and plan well in advance, you might even be able to catch a glimpse of it. Here is everything you need to know.
When will the asteroid fly between the Earth and Moon?
2023 DZ2 will pass around half-way between Earth and the Moon on Saturday, May 25, travelling around 100,000 miles above the planet at around 17,000 miles an hour.
How big is the asteroid?
Writing on its Asteroid Watch Twitter account, Nasa said: ‘While close approaches are a regular occurrence, one by an asteroid of this size (140-310ft) happens only about once per decade, providing a unique opportunity for science.’
Luckily for us, the asteroid poses no risk to life on Earth, but will offer amateur astronomers a rare chance to enjoy this once-in-a-decade phenomenon.
How can I watch from the UK?
Most asteroids aren’t bright enough to be seen without a powerful telescope, so it’s unlikely you’ll be able to see it with the naked eye.
However, due to the large size of 2023 DZ2, you’ll stand a chance of seeing it with good binoculars and small telescopes a few hours before it passes the Earth. You’ll stand more of a chance if you’re away from street lights.
And if you’d rather stay in the comfort of your own home, stargazers will be able to watch a live-stream hosted by the Virtual Telescope Project that starts on March 24 at 23.30pm UTC.
What exactly is an asteroid?
Asteroids are small rock formations that orbit the sun, mostly within the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. They are sometimes called ‘minor planets’ and are essentially bits of rubble left from the formation of our solar system 4.6 billion years ago. This particular asteroid is known as an Apollo asteroid, meaning it passes near our planet.
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