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The European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed that this week, asteroid (152637) 1997 NC1 will be the closest approach to Earth in 400 years. There will be no impact on Earth, but it will be visible through commercial and astronomical telescopes. binoculars from different 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 equal 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 approach again until 2133, according to the ESA.
When Will an Asteroid Be Visible?
The asteroid will be closest to Earth on Saturday, June 27 at 11:14 UTC. The best time to watch it depends on where you are, though. Here is a breakdown of the different sections:
- Europe: the night of June 26 to 27, especially in the morning
- Mexico: the night of June 26 to 27
- US: the night of June 26 to 27, with the best view before sunrise
- Argentina and the Southern Cone: the night of June 27 to 28, when the asteroid has moved to the southern hemisphere.
An asteroid will not disappear quickly after close proximity. It will be visible for several days, although its brightness will gradually decrease and its position in the sky will move. If you can’t save it on the first night, you’ll be lucky in the days that follow, although things aren’t going so well for those in the northern hemisphere.
What Will an Asteroid Look Like?
Although it is bigger than a skyscraper, the asteroid will not be visible to the naked eye. ESA estimates that it will reach a brightness of about 10 magnitudes, similar to the brightness of Neptune.
Through a telescope or astronomical binoculars, an asteroid will appear as a small speck of light moving slowly between stars. Its motion will be about 40 arc seconds per minute. It’s an obscure astronomical method, but suffice it to say that it will be enough to see the object moving if you stare at it for a few minutes.
What Equipment Do You Need?
You will miss more than meets the eye. Even under a bright night sky, the asteroid field is 40 times smaller than the faintest stars that the human eye can distinguish. The moon is also close to full, which will reduce contrast in the sky and make it harder to see other celestial objects.
During its closest approach, it will be near the constellations Ophiuchus and Serpens Cauda, south of the bright star Vega. Astronomy software such as Stellarium, Sky Tonight, or SkySafari, can help you find where it is in the sky at any time by searching for “1997 NC1.”
More than just eyeballs, astronomers recommend using commercials telescope with an aperture of at least 100 millimeters (4 inches), although models from 150 to 200 millimeters will provide more comfortable viewing experiences. It will also be possible to see it with 15 x 70 or 20 x 80 astronomical binoculars, especially when placed on a tripod and from a place away from light pollution.
If it’s cloudy or you don’t have a telescope to help you (or you just like watching astronomy from the comfort of your bed), the Virtual Telescope Project is hosting livestreams on June 26 and June 27 that will follow the asteroid.
This article appeared first WIRED in Spanish and translated from Spanish.
