NASA warns of possible Eiffel Tower-sized asteroid impact

NASA warns about asteroid impact in December.

The space rock dubbed 4660 Nereus is heading for Earth.

It is classified as a potentially dangerous asteroid.

Asteroid 4660 Nereus. A massive threat is approaching the planet, according to NASA, a large asteroid the size of the Eiffel tower is heading for Earth. The large space rock, according to its rhombus, could impact the planet in the month of December, which could cause a major disaster.

According to Digital Press, the asteroid is approximately 330 meters long, which is equivalent to three football fields. The gigantic rock has been named 4660 Nereus, has an egg shape and is threatening the planet for the month of December. This has caused concern.

NASA warns that the asteroid 4660 Nereus may hit the Earth

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The danger generated by huge space rocks that threaten the Earth every year, is increasingly great. The POT constantly reveals different asteroids that will pass very close to the planet, with some probability of danger. This time was no exception.

This crash could be devastating, but it does not pose a danger to the general public. According to its course in the Milky Way, it might only skim the planet avoiding tragedy, according to the Debate portal. According to what experts say, the asteroid may only brush past the Earth.

Scientists reveal when the asteroid 4660 Nereus will arrive

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The asteroid is at a distance of approximately 3.9 million kilometers from Earth, a little more than the distance that separates us from the Moon. Even though it is classified as a dangerous space rock because of its size, it will not be a threat to Earth.

The estimated date for the asteroid to reach Earth is December 11. It is worth mentioning that the asteroid Nereus was discovered in 1982 by the American astronomer Eleanor F. Helin, who belonged to the Apollo asteroid group. This group is recognized for crossing the path of the Earth as it orbits the sun.

Will the asteroid 4660 Nereus pass by the planet again?

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Asteroid 4660 Nereus is expected to return 12 more times in the coming decades, but its closest approach is scheduled for February 14, 2060, when it will be less than 1.2 million kilometers away from the planet, the closest this rock will get to us.

According to NASA, if a mission were to launch this year, it would take between 426 and 146 days, although the delta-v this time would be around 10.37 km/s, slightly higher than launching a low-orbiting rocket. Asteroid exploration is an important field in astronomy and many space agencies have expressed interest in exploring the numerous large objects in the solar system.

Will the asteroid 4660 Nereus be a threat?

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It should be remembered that in October, the United Arab Emirates announced plans for a new mission to explore asteroids so they would be the first Arab nation to successfully land a spacecraft on an asteroid. Three nations have landed on asteroids in the past, and many see them as potential sources for future mining operations, as these asteroids can be rich in raw materials.

Tentatively scheduled to launch in 2028 with a seven-year development time for the spacecraft, the mission will see the UAE explore the planet Venus, as well as seven asteroids, culminating in a planned asteroid landing in 2033 after a five year-long trip.

Several asteroids will pass close to Earth

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Several massive asteroids are expected to approach Earth in the coming weeks, including one nearly the size of the Empire State Building. Scientists even report two soaring close to the planet, followed by more in the coming days, according to data from NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies.

For some months now the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been warning about massive asteroids that will pass close enough to Earth that they would even brush past it. The information comes from the asteroid tracker at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

2021 SM3 space rock is also approaching

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NASA announced that the 2021 SM3 asteroid, with a diameter of up to 525 feet, larger than the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, will approach Earth at about 3.5 million miles from the planet. So far they have not said the exact date, USA Today reported.

It has even been mentioned that these huge rocks that constantly provoke fear in people are defined by NASA as «comets and asteroids that have been pushed by the gravitational attraction of planets near orbits that allow them to enter the vicinity of the Earth». Filed Under: Asteroid 4660 Nereus

Is there a danger of impact?

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According to expert reports, there is nothing to fear, since these rocks will only pass relatively close to the Earth. The asteroids follow their course at a great distance, for this reason they say that they ‘brush’ the planet.

“Astronomically, they are getting closer to Earth. But in human terms, they are millions of miles away and can’t get closer than millions of miles away,» said Paul Chodas, director of CNEOS at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Filed Under: Asteroid 4660 Nereus

«They can’t hit Earth»

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The center tracks near-Earth objects for the entire asteroid community so that when they get closer astronomers can know where and when and observe their movements. One of the closest approaches is asteroid 2021 TJ15, which will pass Earth at the same distance as the Moon, or 238,854 miles away, in the next few days.

«That asteroid has a diameter of 5.6 to 13 meters (18 to 42 feet). It is a small asteroid approaching the distance from the Moon. It is still a very, very long road, it cannot hit the Earth, there is no possibility of that,» Chodas told the media. Filed Under: Asteroid 4660 Nereus

Asteroids the size of the Empire State

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Asteroid 2004 UE stands 1,246 feet tall, about the size of the Empire State Building, which will make its close approach on November 13 about 2.6 million miles from Earth. “So that’s the size of a small building. That is close to a medium size. But it’s approaching at 11 lunar distances, it can’t get closer than 11.11 lunar distances,” said Chodas.

Scientists claim that the chances of one hitting Earth is very rare: «It’s just the fact that there are very few medium and large-sized asteroids that come close to Earth to begin with,» he said. “There are comparatively few large asteroids. The largest near-Earth asteroid is something like 10 kilometers long. But there are only one or two of them,» said the director of CNEOS. Filed Under: Asteroid 4660 Nereus

There is another one called «2021 NY1»

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A few weeks ago a huge body that could be a threat to the human race, since its size was comparable to that of the famous Golden Gate Bridge in located in San Francisco, California, was reported. Fortunately, the rock did not hit the planet, but it did graze it.

The US space agency named this giant asteroid, which will be called «2021 NY1». Some information about this rock was also provided, such as the estimated diameter that ranges from 130 meters to 300 meters and that it travels at a speed of almost 14 thousand meters per second. Filed Under: Asteroid 4660 Nereus