Close approaches
When Hermes was first discovered in 1937 it was estimated to be 460,000 miles from earth and when rediscovered this year it was 19 million miles out and in 1942 in made an unobserved approach at 409,000 miles from earth. Hermes will make its closest approach to earth on Nov. 4th at 4 million miles from earth and should be bright enough for backyard telescope users. The closet approach to earth in the next century will be 2 million miles from earth.
What a sight it would have been at only 300,000 miles from earth for backyard telescopes.
SteveS