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A Statue of Liberty-sized asteroid will get close to earth on the weekend.
Asteroid 2023 DZ2 - yes, it just rolls off the tongue - will narrowly miss our little planet in the coming days, as per EarthSky.
*Breathes sigh of relief*
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The colossal rock will hurl past earth, speeding at 17,426 mph (28,044 km/h) and will come within 107,500 miles (173,000 km).
Just to put things in perspective, folks, that’s twice as close as the moon.
NASA said that an object of this size only passes this close to earth 'once in a decade'.
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The asteroid is said to be up to 305 feet (93 m) in diameter - roughly the same size as the Statue of Liberty and Big Ben.
It is also three times as large as the Chelyabinsk asteroid that struck Russia in 2013, which caused a series of shockwaves that damaged around 7,200 buildings and left 1,491 people injured.
But don’t fret, as NASA has determined that 2023 DZ2 doesn’t pose a threat to earth.
And you might just want to grab those telescopes, as you could have an opportunity to see the minor planet Friday evening (March 24) from the Northern Hemisphere.
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According to the EarthSky, observed through a telescope from the Northern Hemisphere, the asteroid will look like a slow-moving star over the southeastern horizon, east of the constellations of Orion, Canis Major and Canis Minor.
It’s expected to hit its closest range at 3:52 EDT on Saturday (March 25).
The fat rock was discovered by astronomers at the La Palma Observatory in the Canary Islands last month.
.As the asteroid will pass through earth’s orbit, it’s known as an Apollo-class asteroid.
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And while the exact origin of 2023 DZ2 is unknown, most asteroids that come close to earth are usually natives of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, according to the Encyclopedia of Physical Science and Technology.
These fragments are thought to be kicked out of their typical orbits by interactions with Jupiter.
So, if you want to track this baby, apps like TheSkyLive and Stellarium can help you spot it.
Otherwise, the Virtual Telescope Project will also be hosting an online viewing party via YouTube so you can keep up with it's journey through space.
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Happy star gazing, people!
