On February 27, 2023, a new potentially dangerous asteroid was discovered 2023 DZ₂. In this video you can see how on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at 19:52 UTC, it will fly at a distance of 175 thousand kilometers from the center of the Earth. Asteroid 2023 DZ₂ will be more than two times closer to Earth than the Moon. The asteroid velocity relative to the Earth will be 7.8 km/s.
After the approach, the period of its orbit around the Sun will be 1098 days. This is almost equal to three Earth years. Therefore, in 3 years, on April 3, 2026, the next approach of the asteroid 2023 DZ₂ to the Earth will take place. However, next time it will pass at a safer distance ‒ just under one million kilometers.
In 3 more years, on May 3, 2029, the third consecutive approach of asteroid 2023 DZ₂ to the Earth will take place. For the third time, the asteroid will pass even further from Earth ‒ at a distance of almost 4 million km.
Asteroid 2023 DZ₂ belongs to the Apollo group, and its orbit at the point closest to the Sun (at perihelion) almost touches the Earth orbit. The farthest point of the orbit (aphelion) of asteroid 2023 DZ₂ is located in the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. The inclination of its orbit to the Earth orbit plane is only about one tenth of a degree, which increases the risk of collision.
The diameter of the asteroid 2023 DZ₂ is estimated at 70 meters. Its collision with the Earth can lead to a regional catastrophe, despite its low speed relative to the Earth. The power of the collision explosion will be comparable to the power of the explosion that occurred during the Tunguska event in 1908.
With each rotation of the asteroid 2023 DZ₂ around the Sun, it will pass perihelion further and further from the Earth. However, the parameters of its orbit suggest that in a few decades there will be another series of approaches of this asteroid with the Earth. We will not give accurate forecasts yet, but most likely it will not happen before 2160.
Asteroid 2023 DZ₂ may also approach Mars. One such approach may occur in 2074.
Watch the video with subtitles.
Modeling and rendering were performed using own software. The calculations took into account the mutual influence of the Sun, all the planets of the Solar System, the Moon and the asteroid on each other. Relativistic effects were also taken into account in the calculation.
The track ‘End of All Things’ by Breath Before the Plunge sounds in this video. This track was changed: added a smooth volume increase at the beginning of the track. Link: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Breath_Before_the_Plunge/Breath_Before_the_Plunge/Breath_Before_the_Plunge_-Breath_Before_the_Plunge-_03_End_of_All_Things/
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
