A robust asteroid will make a relatively close pass to Earth this Saturday (27), in a notable event, but without any imminent danger. Known as (152637) 1997 NC1, the celestial body, which can exceed 1 kilometer in diameter, will be at a distance that will allow it to be viewed with simple equipment such as amateur telescopes or high-power binoculars, according to information from the European Space Agency (ESA).
Even with this proximity, there is no reason to be alarmed, as the asteroid poses no risk of collision with our planet. At the point of closest approach, scheduled for 8:14 am (Brasília time), the object will still be approximately 2.56 million kilometers from Earth. This distance corresponds to about 6.66 times the average distance between the Earth and the Moon.
The asteroid (152637) 1997 NC1 hurtles through space at a speed of almost 9 kilometers per second. Its precise size has not yet been determined, but estimates point to a diameter that varies between 750 and 1,650 meters, which would be equivalent to the height of two to five Eiffel Towers combined.
The size estimate is calculated based on the amount of sunlight that the asteroid’s surface reflects. As experts are still unsure about how light or dark the object is, the estimated size may vary.
Its discovery occurred in 1997, through the NEAT (Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking) program, an initiative established to detect and monitor celestial bodies that orbit close to Earth.
(152637) 1997 NC1 is part of the class of near-Earth objects (NEOs), a group that includes asteroids and comets whose trajectories are close to our planet’s orbit.
In more detail, it is classified as an Aten-type asteroid, characterized by spending most of its time within the Earth’s orbit, with the ability to cross the path that the Earth takes around the Sun.
Due to its size and trajectory, the asteroid also falls into the “potentially dangerous” classification. However, this designation allows astronomers to proactively monitor asteroids that are large enough and have orbits that approach Earth, as part of planetary defense strategies, and does not mean that they are on a collision course.
For general peace of mind, ESA assures that the chance of impact of (152637) 1997 NC1 is zero.
Guidelines for observing asteroid (152637) 1997 NC1
Viewing the asteroid will be possible during its approach and also after it moves away from Earth, but it will not be an event noticeable to the naked eye. Equipment such as small telescopes or large binoculars will be essential, as well as a location with low light pollution, far from urban lights.
Visibility conditions also vary depending on the region of the planet. ESA reports that observers in the Northern Hemisphere will have a better chance of following the asteroid during its approach. In the Southern Hemisphere, observation opportunities increase after the celestial body begins to move away from Earth.
One factor that can make observation difficult is the intense brightness of the Moon.
Juan Luis Cano, a member of ESA’s Planetary Defense Office, said in a statement that “the approach of an object of this size to Earth only occurs every few years, although this time the bright and close Moon may make it difficult to observe at the point of closest approach.”
Astrophysicist Gianluca Masi, in an interview with Forbes, reported that the asteroid should reach its peak brightness around 9 pm on Saturday (27), Brasília time, reaching a magnitude of 10.1.
In astronomy, magnitude is a measurement used to quantify the brightness of celestial bodies in the sky: the smaller the number, the brighter the object. Generally, objects with magnitude 10 are not visible without instruments, but can be detected with amateur telescopes under favorable conditions.
For those who do not have the necessary equipment, an alternative is online monitoring. The Virtual Telescope Project will promote live broadcasts of the asteroid’s passage on June 26th and 27th, using images captured by telescopes.
Frequency of passages of near-Earth asteroids
Although it may generate apprehension, the passage of asteroids close to Earth is a common phenomenon. Our Solar System is abundant in these rocky bodies, which are remnants of the formation of planets, which occurred approximately 4.6 billion years ago.
Most asteroids are concentrated in the asteroid belt, an area between Mars and Jupiter. However, some of them end up following routes that bring them closer to Earth.
What makes the (152637) 1997 NC1 particularly interesting is its size. The approach of an object with these dimensions occurs every few years, according to ESA data. Therefore, this Saturday’s passage is considered a unique chance for scientists and astronomy enthusiasts to observe a large asteroid.
Large-scale impacts are considerably rarer. The best-known event happened around 66 million years ago, when an asteroid hit the region that today corresponds to the Gulf of Mexico, contributing to the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs.
Another notorious incident is the Tunguska Event, recorded in 1908. On that occasion, a space object exploded over a remote area of Siberia, Russia, resulting in the fall of millions of trees over an area of approximately 2,000 square kilometers.
For this reason, several space agencies maintain constant monitoring of asteroids close to Earth. The main objective is to identify potential threats well in advance, ensuring the safety of the planet.