The Sky This Week: February 12, 2026 - Asteroid Nysa's Close Encounter with a Star
Get ready for a celestial spectacle as Asteroid Nysa makes a close approach to a star this week! On February 12, 2026, skywatchers will have the opportunity to observe this intriguing event. Here's a breakdown of what you need to know:
Nysa's Journey Through Cancer and Gemini
Asteroid Nysa is currently traversing the constellation Cancer, also known as the Crab. This month, it will be visible near several field stars in Cancer and Gemini. Keep an eye out for Nysa's proximity to Mu^2 Cancri, labeled as 'μ' on the provided chart. This star is located near the border between Cancer and Gemini.
Evening Viewing in Cancer
For those eager to catch a glimpse of Nysa, it's positioned perfectly for evening viewing in Cancer. After sunset, around 5:30 PM, look towards the eastern sky where Cancer will be high. Then, swing your telescope towards the western reaches of Cancer, near the border with Gemini. Here, you'll find Nysa, a ninth-magnitude asteroid, 3.3° northwest of Zeta (ζ) Cancri, also known as Tegmine. Tegmine is a multiple star system that can be split into two components with a telescope.
Close Encounter with a 7th-Magnitude Star
Nysa's closest approach this week is to a 7th-magnitude field star. Tonight, this star will be approximately 8' northwest of Nysa. Use this star as a reference point to track Nysa's motion over the next few nights. It's worth noting that Nysa is one of the brightest asteroids in our sky, currently only fainter than 4 Vesta and even outshining 1 Ceres due to their varying distances from Earth as they orbit the Sun.
Skywatching Tips
Don't miss out on this exciting sky event! Here are some additional tips for skywatching this week:
- Check out our 'Sky This Week' column for more celestial events and updates: [Link to Column]
- On February 11, witness Ganymede's shadow and Io crossing Jupiter.
- Sunrise: 6:56 AM
- Sunset: 5:33 PM
- Moonrise: 3:57 AM
- Moonset: 12:37 PM
- Moon Phase: Waning crescent (18%)
Remember, the times provided are in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon's illumination is given at 10 PM local time.
Get ready to explore the wonders of the night sky and don't forget to share your skywatching experiences in the comments!
