(4660) Nereus Apollo
Discovered on 28 February 1982 by E. F. Helin at Palomar.
Named for the ancient Greek god Nereus, a son of Pontus and Gaia. A benevolent sea-god associated with ancient origins (mythology, if not science), he had the power of prophecy. Name proposed by Robert M. Cutler, a Planetary Society member interested in near-Earth asteroids. To English-language speakers the name seems very appropriate for such an object.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #28, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Nereus is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Nereus is 1.92 au from the Sun and 1.71 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 4660 |
| Provisional designation | 1982 DB |
| Orbit class | Apollo · near-Earth · potentially hazardous |
| Diameter | 0.330 km (#17,436 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.550 |
| Rotation period | 15.2 hours |
| Spectral type | Xe |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 18.75 |
| Orbital period | 1.81 years |
| Semi-major axis | 1.49 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 0.952 – 2.02 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.359 |
| Inclination | 1.45° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.00402 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.