Asteroid to Zoom Past Earth This Saturday

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Paris: On Saturday at 1114 GMT, the asteroid (152637) 1997 NC1 will make a harmless, close approach to Earth, passing at a distance of 2,560,000 kilometers more than six times the distance between the Earth and the Moon. Scientists have confirmed that the asteroid poses no threat, as any chance of an impact has been ruled out.

Discovered in 1997, the object is estimated to measure between 750 and 1,650 meters wide, though some estimates suggest it could be smaller. Traveling at nearly nine kilometers per second, it offers a rare observation window for those with the right equipment.

The European Space Agency (ESA) states that the asteroid will be visible to stargazers using small telescopes or large binoculars. Visibility depends on location: it will be seen from the Northern Hemisphere as it approaches, nearly everywhere as it speeds past, and from the Southern Hemisphere as it departs.

However, observers need dark skies, as the bright Moon may hinder views during the closest approach. Juan Luis Cano of the ESA's Planetary Defence Office noted that while close approaches of this size occur every few years, successful viewing will depend heavily on local sky conditions.