Giant Asteroid Looming: A Manhattan-Sized Celestial Visitor Approaches Earth!

Don’t lose focus or you’ll overlook it.

A rare asteroid wider than the breadth of Manhattan will be flying by Earth — and there’s a possibility you can witness it firsthand.

The celestial body 877 Alinda, one of the five largest anticipated to safely yet closely travel past our world this century, passed by approximately 7.6 million miles away on Wednesday. It will remain visible for the next week or so.

Nevertheless, as noted by Forbes, Sunday is the prime day to view the two-and-a-half-mile-wide asteroid near Earth that was discovered in 1918. 

However, to assist your observation, you will require a “modest” set of binoculars since its estimated 9.4 magnitude for Sunday isn’t luminous enough for unaided vision, Virtual Telescope Project astronomer Gianluca Masi stated.

During the next nine days, amateur astronomers may also utilize binoculars to catch a view of Alinda.

The ideal equipment for stargazing is noted as 10×50 optics.

In New York, it’s recommended to observe on Sunday after 6 p.m., around 22 degrees above the eastern horizon and directed toward the constellation Gemini, as per In The Sky.

If you wish to remain indoors amid the cold spell, there is a remedy for that too.

The Virtual Telescope Project will conduct a live stream of Alinda on Sunday, commencing at 12:30 EST.

Alinda will again be relatively close to Earth in 2087.

Yet, if you miss this opportunity to see the asteroid, it isn’t truly catastrophic.

“An event of this kind occurs on average once per decade,” Masi mentioned.