Regional Jet 900 (CRJ900)
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Situational Awareness; Distraction
Conflict NMAC
General None Reported / Taken
Airspace Structure; Procedure; Aircraft
We were descending from 7;000 feet to 4;000 feet proceeding direct to the DIALS intersection. I was the pilot flying the airplane. At approximately 4;500 ft.; the First Officer; pointed out an object at approximately 10 o'clock to our position. It took me about a half second to process what the object was. At first; I thought that it was a mylar balloon but then it looked more like two spheres connected together vertically. The object was dark in color and I would approximate the spheres to each be 2 feet in diameter. As the object was at about our 9 o'clock position; we determined that the object was a UAV. By that time; we were already passing the object and there was no time to react. From the moment of detection; until the object was safely past our wing was approximately 3 seconds. I would estimate that our left wing came within 200-500 feet of the object; however; I cannot be sure how close (or far) we came from it due to the short time that we saw it. Immediately after passing the object; we notified approach control of the encounter.
Captain reported encountering a UAV while in descent for landing to LGA.