Asteroid 4660 Nereus worth $5 billion to zoom past Earth on Dec 11; Know all about it

An asteroid as huge as the Eiffel Tower is about to skim past the Earth on December 11 and has been categorised as “potentially hazardous” owing to its characteristics. Sporting the name '4660 Nereus,' the asteroid measures 330 meters in diameter and is expected to make a pass from a distance of 3.93 million kilometres from the Earth. But what if we tell you that this space rock has the potential to make you a billionaire as it is loaded with resources.

Here’s how much 4660 Nereus is worth

The asteroid, which is loaded with elements such as nickel, iron and cobalt has an estimated worth of around $4.71 billion, according to asteroid monitoring database Astrank, reported USA Today. This valuation of 4660 Nereus puts it into the list of asteroids that are worth billions of dollars. Previously, astronomers had discovered another asteroid named 16 Psyche, in October 2020, which had an estimated value of about $10,000 quadrillion due to the elements it possesses, making it worth more than the Earth’s entire economy. 

More about the approaching asteroid

Discovered in 1982, the asteroid will make its closest flyby near Earth in a decade. Despite a massive distance of 3.93 million kilometres, scientists have put it in the “potentially hazardous” category as it completes the criteria for the same. For an asteroid to fall in the said category, it should have a diameter of more than 140 metres and should pass within the range of 7.48 million kilometres. Interestingly, Nereus' next visit will be in 2060, however, its distance from the Earth will be just 1.2 million kilometres from Earth, which is three times the distance from the Moon. Once we get past the forthcoming flyby, Earth will host another space rock regarding which NASA's asteroid tracker has warned about.

However, the passing of asteroids won't end with the departure of 4660 Nereus as another asteroid named '2018 AH' will zoom past our planet on December 27. Scientists say that this asteroid heading towards our planet has a diameter between 84 and 190 meters and is potentially stronger than a nuclear bomb. However, it will be at a safe distance of over 4.5 million kilometres, as per the astronomers.

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