2023 DW, first spotted in February, is unlikely to hit Earth on Valentine's Day 2046. But it's been added to NASA's official "risk list" of potential collisions. At 50 meters wide, the same size as the body suspected in the Tunguska Event, it would certainly be quite the romance.
NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office says that it has been tracking the asteroid and that its risk of impacting Earth in 2046 remains "very small."
"Often when new objects are first discovered, it takes several weeks of data to reduce the uncertainties and adequately predict their orbits years into the future," the office tweeted. "Orbit analysts will continue to monitor asteroid 2023 DW and update predictions as more data comes in."
We've been tracking a new asteroid named 2023 DW that has a very small chance of impacting Earth in 2046. Often when new objects are first discovered, it takes several weeks of data to reduce the uncertainties and adequately predict their orbits years into the future. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/SaLC0AUSdP
— NASA Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) March 7, 2023
