Visibility from Earth thumb|Path in sky during opposition 2011/2012 On 31 January 2012, Eros passed Earth at , about 70 times the distance to the Moon, with a visual magnitude of +8.1. During rare oppositions, every 81 years, such as in 1975 and 2056, Eros can reach a magnitude of +7.0, which is brighter than Neptune and brighter than any main-belt asteroid except 1 Ceres, 4 Vesta and, rarely, 2 Pallas and 7 Iris. Under this condition, the asteroid actually appears to stop, but unlike the normal condition for a body in heliocentric conjunction with Earth, its retrograde motion is very small. For example, in January and February 2137, it moves retrograde only 34 minutes in right ascension.
Visibility from Earth thumb|Path in sky during opposition 2011/2012 On 31 January 2012, Eros passed Earth at , abo,ut 70 times the distance to the Moon, with a visual magnitude of +8.1. During rare oppositions, every 81 years such as in 1975 and 2056, Eros can reach a magnitude of +7.0, which is brighter than Neptune and brighter than a,ny main-belt. asteroid except 1 Ceres, 4 Vesta and, rarely, 2 Pallas and 7 Iris Under this condition, the asteroid actually appears to stop, but unlike the normal condition for a body in heliocentric conjunction with Earth, its retrograde motion is very small. For example, in January and February 2137 it moves retrograde only 34 minutes in right ascension.