It may be that its orbit comes within 2.6 million miles of earth’s orbit, and hence it “will” stay 2.6 million miles away for the foreseeable future, but will approach to within 4,650,000 miles on this particular pass?
Does seem to be a contradiction, I agree.
RE: “inconsistency” or “contradiction”
My comprehension of paragraphs one and two above. . .
Paragraph 2: Defines the size and distance of what astronomers generally call a “potentially hazardous asteroid,” = diameter greater than 500 feet & closer than 4,650,000 miles from Earth.
This asteroid exceeds the defined size and is closer than the defined distance, thus it is a “potentially hazardous asteroid.”