Asteroid DZ2 to pass close to earth on March 25; here's how you can watch

An asteroid about 200 feet in diameter, called 2023 DZ2 will come very close to our planet on Saturday (March 25).

But there is nothing to worry about as it will not hit us because it will stay at a safe distance that is less than half of how far the moon from Earth is, reported Earth Sky.

The big rock 2023 DZ2 will be closest to us at about 2:51 pm CT (1.21 am IST) on Saturday, March 25. Astronomers found this rock in late February at an observatory in La Palma, which is in the Canary Islands, Spain.

2023 DZ2 is a type of space rock called NEO, which stands for Near Earth Object. It goes around the sun every 3.16 years. When it comes close to Earth, it's called an Apollo-class asteroid. Scientists think it is between 44 and 99 meters wide.

A tweet from NASA said that;

A newly discovered #asteroid named 2023 DZ2 will safely pass by Earth on Saturday at 100K+ miles away. 🌎

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.

— NASA Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) March 21, 2023

How to watch the asteroid live:

People who live in the Northern Hemisphere may be able to see 2023 DZ2 as it passes by Earth.

If you want to look at the asteroid, the best way to do it is by using a telescope that is at least six inches or bigger. This is the best way to see it from the Northern Hemisphere.

Earth Sky says that if you look at 2023 DZ2 through a telescope, it will look like a star that is moving slowly across the sky.

You can see it if you look towards the southeastern horizon, to the east of the constellations Orion, Canis Major, and Canis Minor.

The Virtual Telescope Project is hosting a live stream of the asteroid at 6:30 pm CT on March 25 (5 am IST).