Asteroid Alinda's closest Earth approach in a century
We can observe one of the most spectacular astronomical events in the coming days. Asteroid 887 Alinda, with a diameter of about 4.2 kilometres, will come the closest it has been to Earth in 100 years. In many places around the world, the phenomenon will be visible to the naked eye using binoculars.
Asteroid (887) Alinda, discovered by German astronomer Max Wolf on 3 January 1918, is among the largest objects approaching our planet. It has a diameter of about 4.2 kilometres. According to information provided by the Virtual Telescope Project, Alinda is among the five largest asteroids that will pass within a distance closer than about 15 million kilometres to Earth in the next 200 years. Importantly, asteroids with a diameter greater than about 1 kilometre constitute a small percentage of the population of so-called near-Earth asteroids (NEA).
Asteroid Alinda approaches Earth
Although the chemical composition of Alinda has not been precisely determined, it is classified as an object in the family of S-type or C-type asteroids, which suggests that it may be composed of silicates or carbon. Alinda follows an orbit with high eccentricity, and its distance from the Sun varies significantly during one orbit. Its orbital period around the Sun is about 3.72 years.
Asteroid 887 Alinda will be visible in the sky for the next ten days, particularly for observers in the Northern Hemisphere. It will be located in the constellations of Orion and Gemini, making it easier to locate. The object will reach its greatest brightness on 12 January. The best conditions for observing Alinda will be at night, away from city lights, when the sky is dark and clear.
Astronomical applications or sky maps can help locate the asteroid. Live broadcasts of its passage can also be watched, one of which is offered by the aforementioned Virtual Telescope Project. Although asteroid 887 Alinda will be relatively close to Earth on a cosmic scale, its trajectory has been precisely predicted and poses no threat to our planet.
The next close approach of Alinda will occur on 25 January 2087, when the asteroid will pass at a distance of 0.16633 AU from Earth, which is about 24.9 million kilometres.
