Asteroid Alinda makes close approach to Earth, visible this weekend with binoculars

Asteroid (887) Alinda, measuring about 2.6 miles wide, recently made its closest approach to Earth in decades, coming within 7.6 million miles on January 8. It will reach peak brightness this weekend, visible with binoculars. Alinda will peak at magnitude 9.4, making it too faint for the naked eye but observable through basic equipment. It will be located in the constellation Gemini, visible in the Northern Hemisphere after dark. The Virtual Telescope Project will livestream Alinda's flyby on January 14 at 12:30 pm EST. NASA confirms that Alinda poses no threat to Earth, with no known asteroid threats for at least the next century.