An asteroid bigger than Manhattan is flying close by Earth. (Image: SWNS)
An asteroid bigger than Manhattan is flying close by Earth.
The space rock – named (887) Alinda – is so large it should be viewable with ordinary binoculars.
With an estimated diameter of 4.2 km, the asteroid’s January appearance sees it coming within a relatively cosmically close distance of 12.28 million km to us. Its size makes it larger than 99% of other asteroids.
Alinda is observed to orbit the sun every 3.89 years or 1,420 days.
However, the asteroid is not considered hazardous. While it is classified as a “Near Earth Asteroid” due to its proximity to our orbit, Alinda is not on a collision course with our planet.
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The space rock – named (887) Alinda – is so large it should be viewable with ordinary binoculars. (Image: SWNS)
According to space-watching website Virtual Telescope, the asteroid is expected to peak in brightness on Sunday (12 Jan).
They commented: “Considering all the asteroids coming closer than 15 million kilometers, Alinda is one of the five largest ones in size from now until 2200.”
Manhattan is 3.7 km wide at its widest point.
This news comes at a time when millions of Britons were able to witness the Quadrantid meteor shower with as many as 200 shooting stars on the night of Friday, January 3rd.
The Quadrantids bring bright fireball meteors that are larger and brighter than any other typical meteor shower.
The Royal Museums Greenwich described it as “one of the strongest and most consistent meteor showers of the year.” The Quadrantid meteor shower this year would be a memorable one as it occurred during yellow weather warnings for ice and snow across the country.