Nicolas Erasmus

About

Nicolas Erasmus is an astronomer specializing in the rapid characterization of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) and interstellar objects. His work focuses on automated, robotic follow-up observations to determine the physical properties of these transient bodies. He leads a program using the South African Astronomical Observatory’s 1-meter Lesedi telescope, which autonomously schedules and executes observations of newly discovered NEAs, providing critical data on their rotation, shape, and composition within hours of detection. Erasmus also contributed to the study of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, using the global ATLAS network to obtain calibrated photometry across multiple bands. This work, with over 10 combined citations, helped constrain the comet’s activity and size. His contributions are vital to planetary defense and our understanding of small bodies in the solar system and beyond.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   ATLAS Photometry of Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS

   8 citations · 2025
2. 2
   ATLAS Photometry of Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS

   2 citations · 2025
3. 3
   The rapid-response, fully-automated, near-Earth asteroid follow-up program with the SAAO’s 1-m Lesedi telescope

   1 citations · 2025

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links