Large asteroid (152637) 1997 NC1 to pass Earth safely on Saturday, visible with small telescopes

The approach

On Saturday, 27 June 2026, the asteroid (152637) 1997 NC1 will make a close approach to Earth, passing at a distance of 2,559,461 kilometres (around 2.56 million km) at 11:14 GMT. The European Space Agency (ESA) announced the flyby on Wednesday, confirming there is no risk of collision. Travelling at 8.9 km/s, the object will come no closer than 6.66 times the distance between Earth and the Moon.

Observing the asteroid

The flyby will be visible to stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere as the asteroid approaches, and almost everywhere on Earth at the moment of closest approach. Observers in the Southern Hemisphere will be able to see it only as it departs. A small telescope or large binoculars should suffice for spotting the object, provided the sky is dark. However, Juan Luis Cano of ESA's Planetary Defence Office cautioned that

“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.”

Context and safety

First discovered in 1997, 1997 NC1 is estimated to be between 750 and 1,650 metres in diameter, based on its brightness (albedo). ESA notes that the actual size could be smaller depending on how reflective it is. Such flybys occur only once every few years for objects of this size, but they are routine for planetary defence monitoring. ESA and other agencies track near-Earth objects to rule out any impact hazard. The upcoming pass is a safe and scientifically interesting event, offering amateur astronomers a rare chance to observe a large space rock up close without any danger.