“Christmas Asteroid” Buzzing Earth This Weekend: How To See In NY

Like Santa Claus hurtling through the atmosphere to deliver presents, Earth is getting its own special holiday visitor moving at 13,220mph: the Christmas Asteroid. Now Upstate New York is getting its chance to view the asteroid over the weekend.

First seen in 2015, the European Space Agency recently dubbed asteroid 2015 RN35 the “Christmas asteroid” because of its timing and because 2015 RN35 has absolutely no ring to it. The asteroid is 460 feet across, and passed only two moon-distances from Earth on Thursday.

Merry Christmas Asteroid

New York stargazers have been spoiled this year, with total lunar eclipses, meteor showers, and now the Christmas Asteroid. While the asteroid is getting fairly close to Earth, scientists say there is extremely little danger of a collision.

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Where and When Can New York See The Asteroid?

While the Southern Hemisphere got the best view on Wednesday night/Thursday morning, here in the Northern Hemisphere we get the longest window to see the Christmas Asteroid. The cosmic traveler will be in view between now and Monday.

To see the asteroid from Upstate NY, it will take a little bit of equipment. Telescopes 30cm and larger should be able to capture the asteroid in view, which will be very difficult to track with the naked eye. It also may take some luck, with all the clouds giving rain and snow. Best of luck, and here's to the merriest asteroid of the year!