Asteroid 1997 NC1 to Pass Near Earth on June 27, 2026

The European Space Agency (ESA) reports that asteroid (152637) 1997 NC1 – a rocky body estimated between 750 m and 1.65 km across – will make a close approach to Earth on Saturday, 27 June 2026. At 14:14 local Greek time (≈10 p.m. CDT, 26 June UTC) it will be about 2.56 million km from the planet, roughly 6.66 times the distance to the Moon, eliminating any collision risk. The asteroid will travel at about 8.9 km s⁻¹. It can be observed with small telescopes or large binoculars from the northern hemisphere during its approach and from the southern hemisphere as it recedes, although the bright Moon may hinder viewing at the moment of closest approach. Discovered in 1997, the object is tracked by ESA’s Planetary Defence Office. Compared with the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor, 1997 NC1 will pass far beyond that event’s distance, posing no threat but offering a rare opportunity for amateur astronomers worldwide to view a near‑Earth object.