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Asteroid Nereus flyby Saturday. It's worth $5B in precious metals - EarthSky

Asteroid Nereus flyby Saturday. It's worth $5B in precious metals - EarthSky

Asteroid Nereus flyby Saturday. It's worth $5B in precious metals - EarthSky
Dec 07, 2021 48 secs

At its closest, Nereus will pass about 2.4 million miles (3.9 million km) away.

Yet this close pass and others has caused 4660 Nereus to be classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid.

And – in part because it comes close and in part because it’s “slow” – space entrepreneurs have cast their gaze toward Nereus as well.

Saturday’s close pass of 10 lunar-distances will be its closest until 2060, when Nereus will pass at only three lunar-distances.

Asteroid 4660 Nereus will reach a visual magnitude around 12.

While this may sound like a huge speed, Nereus is in fact a “slow” space rock compared to many other asteroids.

And space entrepreneurs are eyeing Nereus as well, for the same reason, because of its slow speed relative to other asteroids.

In 2002, the space rock made a similar approach to Earth which enabled scientists to study its shape and size using radar!

Bottom line: Asteroid Nereus will pass Earth at about 10 lunar distances (2.4 million miles, 3.9 million km) on Saturday, December 11, 2021.

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