Spectacular Close Encounter: Near-Earth Asteroid (887) Alinda Set for January Flyby!

On January 8, 2025, the near-Earth asteroid (887) Alinda will make a safe but thrilling approach to Earth, coming within approximately 12.3 million kilometers—32 times the average distance to the Moon. This sizable celestial body boasts an impressive diameter of around 4.2 kilometers, making it a significant object as it traverses our vicinity.

Asteroid Alinda will shine brightly during this close passage, reaching magnitudes over 9.4 on January 12, 2025. This brightness means that for more than a week, it will be visible to amateur astronomers and anyone equipped with simple observation tools—such as basic 10×50 binoculars—especially from the Northern Hemisphere. Alinda can be spotted within the constellations Orion and Gemini.

Encounters like this with sizeable asteroids are rare, occurring on average once every decade. Notably, Alinda ranks among the five largest asteroids expected to fly within 15 million kilometers of Earth before the year 2200.

Space enthusiasts won't want to miss this astronomical event. The Virtual Telescope Project will stream the flyby live on two key dates: - January 8, starting at 20:30 UTC—just after Alinda reaches its closest point to Earth. - January 12, starting at 17:30 UTC—when the asteroid will be at its brightest.

Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity! You can access the live streams by visiting the Virtual Telescope Project's webTV page during those times.

Mark your calendars and prepare for an unforgettable glimpse into our solar system! It’s not every day that we have the chance to witness such a majestic asteroid pass by our planet, so gather your family, set up your viewing equipment, and join in on this cosmic spectacle. Stay tuned for updates as we get closer to the date!