How to See the Giant Asteroid That Will Pass by Earth This Weekend

How to See the Giant Asteroid That Will Pass by Earth This Weekend explains ESA guidance for observing near-Earth asteroid (152637) 1997 NC1. The European Space Agency says it will make its closest approach to Earth in 400 years this weekend, without any risk of impact. The nearest pass is Saturday, June 27 at 11:14 UTC, when the asteroid will be 2.56 million kilometers (1.59 million miles) away, about 6.6 times the Earth-moon distance. ESA estimates the object’s diameter at roughly 700 meters to 1.6 kilometers, and it will not come that close again until 2133. Visibility is expected for several days as brightness fades and the position shifts. ESA notes it will be too faint for the naked eye, with a predicted magnitude near 10 and better results using a telescope with an aperture of at least 100 millimeters.