Rare Sighting: Blue Whale Photographed Off Cape Cod

TRURO (CBS) -- There was a rare and majestic sight off Cape Cod on Wednesday afternoon - an enormous blue whale not far from the coast. The Center for Coastal Studies photographed the largest animal on Earth 13 miles east of Truro.

There are estimated to be only 400 to 600 Northwest Atlantic blue whales left. The last documented sighting in the area was by the New England Aquarium back in February, when researchers there spotted two blue whales 130 miles offshore.

"There are sporadic sightings of them off New England, but when they are seen they are generally in very deep water hundreds of miles offshore," the center said in a statement.

Blue whales can grow up to 100 feet in length and weigh between 76 and 150 tons.