Rare 4-kilometre asteroid to make its closest approach to earth in 100 years

Asteroid (887) Alinda, 4 km wide, nears Earth for the first time in 100 years.

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A massive asteroid, (887) Alinda, is set to make its closest approach to Earth in a century, providing a spectacular opportunity for skywatchers.

Discovered in 1918 by German astronomer Max Wolf, Alinda measures about 4.2 kilometers in diameter, making it one of the larger near-Earth asteroids.

This rare event will bring the asteroid within 12.3 million kilometers (0.0822 AU) of Earth, about 32 times the average distance to the Moon.

Though not considered a threat, Alinda's highly eccentric orbit means it will return for a few more close encounters in the future. However, this approach, which occurs today, is its nearest for the next 100 years.

For those hoping to catch a glimpse, Alinda will be visible with binoculars or small telescopes, especially in the Northern Hemisphere within the constellations Orion and Gemini.

The asteroid will remain bright in the sky for the next 10 days, reaching its peak brightness on January 12, 2025.

Live streaming of the event will be available via the Virtual Telescope Project, with feeds starting on January 8 at 20:30 UTC. The next close approach will occur on January 25, 2087.