How to See the Giant Asteroid That Will Pass by Earth This Weekend
Key takeaways
- The closest approach will occur on Saturday, June 27, when the asteroid will pass 2.56 million kilometers (1.59 million miles) from Earth—a distance equivalent to 6.6 times the distance between Earth and the moon.
- The asteroid will be closest to the Earth on Saturday, June 27 at 11:14 UTC.
- The asteroid will not disappear immediately after its closest approach.
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Illustration: ANDRZEJ WOJCICKI/GETTY IMAGESComment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this story The European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed that this weekend, asteroid (152637) 1997 NC1 will make its closest approach to Earth in 400 years. There's no risk it will hit Earth, but it will be visible through commercial telescopes and astronomical binoculars from various parts of the world.
The closest approach will occur on Saturday, June 27, when the asteroid will pass 2.56 million kilometers (1.59 million miles) from Earth—a distance equivalent to 6.6 times the distance between Earth and the moon. The object—with a diameter estimated to be between 700 meters and 1.6 kilometers—will not come this close again until 2133, according to the ESA.
The asteroid will be closest to the Earth on Saturday, June 27 at 11:14 UTC. The best time to view it will depend on your location, though. Here's a rough breakdown for various regions: