An asteroid will pass between the Earth and the Moon on Saturday

An asteroid large enough to destroy a city will pass between the Earth and the moon's orbit this weekend without hitting any celestial bodies.

A close passage of a celestial body will give astronomers the opportunity to study it at a distance of just over 168,000 kilometers. This is less than half the distance between the Earth and the Moon, so it will be visible with binoculars and small telescopes.

While asteroid close encounters are common, NASA has stated that it is rare for such a large asteroid to come this close, and that it occurs about once a decade. Scientists estimate its size at 40-90 meters.

"A newly discovered asteroid called 2023 DZ2 will fly past Earth safely on Saturday at a distance of more than 100,000 miles. While a close approach is common, an asteroid of this size (140 to 310 feet) only occurs about once a decade, which provides a unique opportunity for science.