A potentially hazardous asteroid, about the size of an aircraft carrier, will pass by Earth on June 5. This offers a unique chance for observation, with a live online stream available.
Asteroid 2008 DG5, discovered in 2008, is being monitored by NASA. The Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) estimates its diameter to be between 1,049 and 2,296 feet.
The closest approach will be at 7:59 p.m. ET on June 5, when the asteroid will be approximately 2,170,309 miles away. It will be visible as a point of light to powerful telescopes.
The Virtual Telescope Project will host a livestream starting at 6 p.m. ET on June 5, showing real-time views captured by its telescopes.
An image of the asteroid was captured on June 3 from 2.2 million miles away. It appears as a bright speck of light.
NASA classifies asteroids as potentially hazardous based on size and proximity. CNEOS currently tracks over 1,784 potentially hazardous asteroids.
Fortunately, none of the tracked asteroids are predicted to strike Earth and cause widespread damage in the coming century.