Huge Big Ben-sized asteroid to crash through Earth’s orbit closer than moon this weekend
A massive asteroid the size of Big Ben is coming towards Earth – and it is going to slam through our orbit.
Given the name of 2023 DZ2 by NASA’s experts, the giant rock will come around 107,500 miles close to Earth on Saturday (March 25), which is twice as close as the Moon.
And you’ll be able to see it at around 5.20pm . . . if you live in Southeast Asia, that is.
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NASA’s Asteroid Watch team revealed of the impeding close impact of the 300ft-wide rock earlier today.
They tweeted: “A newly discovered #asteroid named 2023 DZ2 will safely pass by Earth on Saturday at 100K+ miles away.
(Image: Getty Images)
“While close approaches are a regular occurrence, one by an asteroid of this size (140-310 ft) happens only about once per decade, providing a unique opportunity for science.
“Astronomers with the International Asteroid Warning Network are using this close approach to learn as much as possible about 2023 DZ2 in a short time period.
“Good practice for #PlanetaryDefense in the future if a potential asteroid threat were ever discovered.”
The big rock was first found last month, on February 27 by the experts at the European Near Earth Asteroids Research project.
It was first seen from a base in La Palma, around 9.9 million miles away from Earth.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
It’s orbit around the Sun is thought to take around 3.16 years.
The asteroid has an uncertainty range of around one million kilometres, but still has an impact probability of zero.
However, expert Tony Dunn tweeted that the asteroid has a 1/550 chance of impacting on the planet when it next comes near in 2026 – but this weekend’s trip should be safe.
He said: “It will get as bright as magnitude 9.7, putting it in the range of binoculars.”
If it doesn’t hit Earth in 2026, it will be back around in 2029 – which will be even closer than the previous two journeys.
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