How do you see the giant asteroid that will pass near Earth this weekend?

European space The European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed that at the end of this week, asteroid (152637) 1997 NC1 will make its closest approach to Earth in 400 years. There is no danger of it hitting 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 within 2.56 million kilometers (1.59 million miles) of Earth, a distance equivalent to 6.6 times the distance between Earth and the Moon. The object – whose diameter is estimated to be between 700 meters and 1.6 kilometers – will not approach this limit again until 2133. According to the European Space Agency.

When will the asteroid be visible?

The asteroid will be closest to Earth on Saturday, June 27 at 11:14 UTC. The best time to view it will depend on your location. Below is a rough breakdown of the various regions:

• Europe: Night of June 26 to 27, especially early in the morning
• Mexico: Night of June 26 to 27
• United States: Night of June 26 to 27 with best viewing conditions before sunrise
• Argentina and the Southern Cone: The night of June 27 to 28, once the asteroid moves toward the southern sky

The asteroid will not disappear as soon as it approaches its closest point. It will remain visible for several days, although its brightness will gradually decrease and its position in the sky will change. If you can’t observe it on the first night, you’ll still have chances in the following days, although conditions will be less favorable for those in the Northern Hemisphere.

What will the asteroid look like?

Although it is larger than a skyscraper, the asteroid will be impossible to see with the naked eye. The European Space Agency estimates that its brightness will reach a brightness of about 10 degrees, similar to the brightness of planet Earth. Neptune.

Through a telescope or astronomical telescope, the asteroid will appear as a small point of light moving slowly among the stars. Its motion will be about 40 arc seconds per minute. It’s a somewhat vague astronomical measure of motion, but suffice it to say that it would be enough to notice an object’s movement if you watched it for a few minutes.

What equipment do you need?

You’ll need more than your eyes. Even under the clearest night sky, the asteroid is 40 times fainter than the faintest star the human eye can discern. The moon is also about to be full, which will reduce the contrast in the sky and make it difficult to observe other objects in the night sky.

At the moment of closest approach, it will be near the constellations Ophiuchus and Serpens Cauda, ​​south of the bright star Vega. Astronomy apps like Stellarium, Sky Tonight, or SkySafari can help you pinpoint its location in the sky at any given time by searching for “1997 NC1.”

For more than eye view applications, astronomers recommend using a commercial telescope With a minimum aperture of 100 mm (4 inches), although models ranging from 150 to 200 mm will provide a more comfortable viewing experience. It will also be possible to observe it with a 15 x 70 or 20 x 80 astronomical telescope, preferably mounted on a tripod and from a location away from light pollution.

If it’s cloudy or you don’t have a telescope handy (or you prefer to watch celestial events from your couch), a virtual telescope project is the perfect solution. Live broadcast hosting On June 26 and 27, which will track the asteroid.

This story originally appeared on WIRED in Spanish It was translated from Spanish.