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City-sized asteroid makes its closest approach yet, but it’s not done! Scientists explain what would happen if it hit Earth

byadmin
January 13, 2025

Scientists announced that the giant asteroid Alinda, which recently made its closest pass to Earth, is still not done with Earth. The city-sized rocky object will reach its peak in brightness today.

Scientists announced that the asteroid, which recently made its closest pass to Earth, is not finished with the world yet. It was stated that the city-sized asteroid named Alinda will reach its peak in brightness today.
The giant asteroid Alinda made its closest pass to Earth on January 8. This rocky space object, measuring 4.2 kilometers wide, has made its closest approach in the last 100 years, approaching a distance of 12.3 million kilometers.
Although an asteroid this large could trigger a mass extinction if it collided with Earth, its large size also makes it a great target for curious stargazers. Alinda will peak at magnitude 9.4 on Sunday, January 12.
That’s not bright enough to be seen with the naked eye, but it’s bright enough to be seen with entry-level stargazing binoculars or a good backyard telescope, according to astronomer Gianluca Masi, who runs the Virtual Telescope Project in Italy. According to skywatcher Jamie Carter, the asteroid will be visible as it passes through the Gemini constellation, which appears just after dark in the Northern Hemisphere and is visible throughout the night.
Jake Foster, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, says that if Alinda hits Earth, its effects would be equivalent to millions of nuclear bombs. However, Alinda is not as big as the asteroid that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Asteroids are large pieces of rock that orbit within the solar system. Alinda completes an orbit every 3.89 years and is currently one of the largest asteroids approaching Earth. If Alinda hits Earth, shock waves, earthquakes and huge tidal waves would occur. Experts state that climate changes such as “impact winter” may also occur.
Although the probability of asteroids hitting the Earth is low, planetary defense systems are being developed to detect and intervene in such threats. The Vera C Rubin Observatory telescope will play an important role in this area. Foster emphasizes that Alinda’s close passage does not threaten the Earth and that such an impact is out of the question in the near future. However, space agencies continue to work on such risks to ensure the safety of the planet.
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