A large near-Earth asteroid, (887) Alinda, measuring 2.6 miles in diameter, will be visible this weekend, offering a rare opportunity for stargazers. This event, occurring once every decade, allows enthusiasts to view the asteroid with basic equipment or through a livestream.
NASA confirmed that Alinda approached within 7.6 million miles of Earth on January 8. It is considered safe, with no close passes expected until 2087. The asteroid will reach its peak brightness on January 12, with a magnitude of 9.4, making it visible in the constellation Gemini after dark in the Northern Hemisphere.
For those without observation equipment, the Virtual Telescope Project will host a free livestream of the event on January 12 at 12:30 p.m. EST on their official YouTube page.
This flyby is significant, as Alinda ranks among the five largest asteroids anticipated to come this close to Earth by 2200. NASA assures that no known asteroids pose a threat to Earth for at least a century. The recent DART mission has demonstrated the feasibility of redirecting potentially hazardous space objects, with future missions planned to enhance planetary defense systems.
January also features other astronomical events, including Mars appearing to hide behind the full Wolf Moon on January 13, and an alignment of six planets, including Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn, visible in the evening sky starting January 21.