Asteroid to be visible to stargazers on Saturday

Stargazers will have an opportunity to observe a large asteroid as it makes a close, but safe, pass by Earth this Saturday. The celestial object, identified as (152637) 1997 NC1, is expected to be visible to observers equipped with small telescopes or large binoculars.

According to the European Space Agency (ESA), the asteroid will come within approximately 2,560,000 kilometers of our planet. This distance, while considered close in astronomical terms, is more than six times the span between the Earth and the Moon, ensuring no threat of impact.

The asteroid, discovered in 1997, measures an estimated 750 to 1,650 meters in width. It travels at a speed of nearly nine kilometers per second. While the close approach is a notable event, occurring only every few years for objects of this size, the presence of a bright Moon might slightly hinder visibility during its closest approach.

Visibility will vary depending on location and sky conditions. The asteroid is expected to be observable in parts of the Northern Hemisphere as it approaches, across most regions as it passes Earth, and solely from the Southern Hemisphere as it departs. Clear, dark skies will be essential for optimal viewing.

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A close approach to Earth by an object this size only occurs every few years, although this time the bright nearby Moon might impede its observability at closest approach.