List of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2020 explained

Time of discovery of asteroids which came closer to Earth than the Moon in 2020
Other Years Caption: Years Below: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Below is the list of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2020.

Timeline of known close approaches less than one lunar distance from Earth

A list of known near-Earth asteroid close approaches less than 1 lunar distance (0.0025696AU) from Earth in 2020.^[1]

For reference, the radius of Earth is about 4.26E-05AU or 0.0166 lunar distances. Geosynchronous satellites have an orbit with semi-major axis length of 0.000282AU or 0.110 lunar distances. A number of known asteroids came closer than this in 2020, notably 2020 CW, 2020 JJ, 2020 QG, and which all approached Earth within 0.05 lunar distances.

Two objects have been observed to be temporary satellites of Earth: in February 2020 and 2020 SO in September 2020, albeit the latter has been confirmed to be a rocket booster from the Surveyor 2 mission launched in 1966.^[2]

The largest asteroid to pass within 1 LD of Earth in 2020 was with an estimated diameter of around 145 meters and an absolute magnitude of 22.4. The fastest asteroid to pass within 1 LD of Earth in 2020 was that passed Earth with a velocity with respect to Earth of 33.4km/s.^{[3] [4]}

Date of closest approach	Date discovered	Object	Nominal geocentric distance[5]		Approx. size (m)	(H) (abs. mag)	Closer approach to Moon[6]	References[7] [8]
			data-sort-type="number"	(AU)	data-sort-type="number"				(Lunar distance)
2020-01-02	2020-01-04		0.002185AU	0.85	align=center	3.2–7.1	align=center	29.6	align=center
2020-01-20	2020-01-22		0.001998AU	0.78	align=center	11–24	align=center	27	align=center	—
2020-01-22	2020-01-23		0.001775AU	0.69	align=center	3.1–6.9	align=center	29.8	align=center	—
2020-01-25	2020-01-24		0.000469AU	0.18	align=center	5.2–12	align=center	28.5	align=center	—
2020-01-27	2020-01-28		0.00132AU	0.51	align=center	4.6–10	align=center	29	align=center	—
2020-01-28	2020-01-30		0.002517AU	0.98	align=center	9–20	align=center	27.5	align=center
2020-01-29	2020-01-28		0.000716AU	0.28	align=center	2.9–6.5	align=center	29.9	align=center	—
2020-01-31	2020-02-02		0.002105AU	0.82	align=center	3.7–8.2	align=center	29.4	align=center	—
2020-01-31	2020-02-02		0.002362AU	0.92	align=center	11–25	align=center	27	align=center
2020-02-01	2020-02-01		0.000105AU	0.04	align=center	0.83–1.9	align=center	32.6	align=center	—
2020-02-02	2020-02-01		0.001465AU	0.57	align=center	3.2–7.2	align=center	29.4	align=center	—
2020-02-03	2020-01-31		0.001256AU	0.49	align=center	7.5–17	align=center	27.8	align=center	—
2020-02-04	2020-02-05		0.000431AU	0.17	align=center	4.6–10	align=center	28.8	align=center	—
2020-02-13	2020-02-16		0.002172AU	0.85	align=center	4.9–11	align=center	28.7	align=center
2020-02-13	2020-02-15		0.000315AU	0.12	align=center	1.2–2.8	align=center	31.7	align=center	—
2020-02-14	2020-02-15		0.00099AU	0.39	align=center	5–11	align=center	28.7	align=center	—
2020-02-18	2020-02-17		0.001294AU	0.50	align=center	3–6.7	align=center	29.7	align=center	—
2020-02-18	2020-02-16		0.001612AU	0.63	align=center	2.3–5.1	align=center	30.3	align=center	—
2020-02-25	2020-02-27		0.000622AU	0.24	align=center	3–6.8	align=center	29.7	align=center	—
2020-03-14	2020-03-17		0.00219AU	0.85	align=center	19–43	align=center	25.7	align=center	—
2020-03-18	2020-03-16		0.001715AU	0.67	align=center	7.9–18	align=center	27.6	align=center
2020-03-19	2020-03-23		0.001262AU	0.49	align=center	10–23	align=center	27.1	align=center	—
2020-03-22	2020-03-19		0.000987AU	0.38	align=center	16–35	align=center	26.1	align=center	—
2020-03-25	2020-03-24		0.001716AU	0.67	align=center	3.4–7.6	align=center	29.5	align=center	—
2020-03-31	2020-03-31		0.000521AU	0.20	align=center	16–36	align=center	26.1	align=center	—
2020-04-01	2020-04-02		0.000461AU	0.18	align=center	7.9–18	align=center	27.6	align=center	—
2020-04-03	2020-04-02		0.000837AU	0.33	align=center	4.2–9.3	align=center	29	align=center	—
2020-04-05	2020-04-05		0.000537AU	0.21	align=center	13–28	align=center	26.6	align=center	—
2020-04-15	2020-04-16		0.001929AU	0.75	align=center	4.6–10	align=center	28.8	align=center	—
2020-04-15	2020-04-11		0.002401AU	0.93	align=center	13–28	align=center	26.6	align=center	—
2020-04-22	2020-04-24		0.001088AU	0.42	align=center	13–28	align=center	26.6	align=center
2020-04-22	2020-04-23		0.000979AU	0.38	align=center	12–27	align=center	26.7	align=center	—
2020-04-22	2020-04-23		0.000869AU	0.34	align=center	3.1–7	align=center	29.6	align=center	—
2020-04-24	2020-04-19		0.001688AU	0.66	align=center	9.8–22	align=center	27.2	align=center
2020-04-26	2020-04-27		0.000986AU	0.38	align=center	5.8–13	align=center	28.3	align=center	—
2020-04-27	2020-04-22		0.000841AU	0.33	align=center	6.4–14	align=center	28.1	align=center	—
2020-04-28	2020-04-27		0.000286AU	0.11	align=center	4.1–9.2	align=center	29.1	align=center	—
2020-04-30	2020-05-02		0.001429AU	0.55	align=center	19–41	align=center	25.8	align=center
2020-05-03	2020-05-01		0.001598AU	0.62	align=center	9.6–21	align=center	27.2	align=center	—
2020-05-04	2020-05-04		9E-05AU	0.03	align=center	2.7–6	align=center	30	align=center	—
2020-05-05	2020-05-04		0.001666AU	0.65	align=center	9–20	align=center	27.4	align=center
2020-05-28	2020-05-26		0.001652AU	0.64	align=center	3.5–7.8	align=center	29.4	align=center	—
2020-05-28	2020-05-24		0.000959AU	0.37	align=center	2.8–6.2	align=center	29.9	align=center	—
2020-05-29	2020-05-26		0.00247AU	0.96	align=center	9–20	align=center	27.4	align=center	—
2020-06-05	2020-06-07		0.002051AU	0.80	align=center	89–200	align=center	22.4	align=center	—
2020-06-13	2020-06-16		0.002378AU	0.93	align=center	6.7–15	align=center	28.0	align=center	—
2020-07-05	2020-07-06		0.001193AU	0.46	align=center	15–33	align=center	26.3	align=center	—
2020-07-27	2020-07-26		0.000278AU	0.11	align=center	2.3–5.2	align=center	30.3	align=center	—
2020-08-01	2020-08-01		0.000387AU	0.15	align=center	4.6–10	align=center	28.8	align=center	—
2020-08-11	2020-08-14		0.001526AU	0.59	align=center	3.2–7.2	align=center	29.6	align=center	—
2020-08-12	2020-08-22		0.001974AU	0.77	align=center	12–26	align=center	26.8	align=center	—
2020-08-14	2020-08-14		0.001867AU	0.73	align=center	4.9–11	align=center	28.7	align=center	—
2020-08-16	2020-08-16		6.2E-05AU	0.02	align=center	2.9–6.4	align=center	29.8	align=center	—
2020-08-18	2020-08-18		0.001402AU	0.55	align=center	7.1–16	align=center	27.9	align=center	—
2020-08-20	2020-08-14		0.002342AU	0.91	align=center	12–28	align=center	26.7	align=center
2020-08-20	2020-08-20		0.000445AU	0.17	align=center	1.5–3.4	align=center	31.2	align=center	—
2020-08-21	2020-08-22		0.001824AU	0.71	align=center	5.1–11	align=center	28.6	align=center	—
2020-08-22	2020-08-23		0.002062AU	0.80	align=center	4.6–10	align=center	28.8	align=center	—
2020-08-23	2020-08-25		0.002144AU	0.83	align=center	9.1–20	align=center	27.3	align=center	—
2020-09-09	2020-09-12		0.001639AU	0.64	align=center	4.1–9.2	align=center	29.0	align=center	—
2020-09-10	2020-09-13		0.000909AU	0.35	align=center	4.3–9.7	align=center	28.9	align=center	—
2020-09-13	2020-09-17		0.002218AU	0.86	align=center	9.9–22	align=center	27.2	align=center	—
2020-09-14	2020-09-12		0.000629AU	0.24	align=center	5.1–11	align=center	28.6	align=center	—
2020-09-14	2020-09-12		0.000707AU	0.28	align=center	2.9–6.5	align=center	29.8	align=center	—
2020-09-17	2020-09-15		0.002273AU	0.88	align=center	12–27	align=center	26.7	align=center	—
2020-09-19	2020-09-20		0.002449AU	0.95	align=center	3.5–7.9	align=center	29.4	align=center	—
2020-09-23	2020-09-26		0.001486AU	0.58	align=center	3.7–8.3	align=center	29.3	align=center	—
2020-09-24	2020-09-18		0.000188AU	0.07	align=center	4.3–9.7	align=center	28.9	align=center	—
2020-09-24	2020-09-25		0.001349AU	0.53	align=center	6.1–14	align=center	28.2	align=center	—
2020-09-26	2020-09-23		0.002363AU	0.92	align=center	4.5–10	align=center	28.9	align=center	—
2020-10-01	2020-10-04		0.001475AU	0.57	align=center	21–48	align=center	25.5	align=center	—
2020-10-09	2020-10-10		0.001704AU	0.15	align=center	4.2–9.3	align=center	29.0	align=center	—
2020-10-12	2020-10-08		0.001704AU	0.66	align=center	4.0–9.0	align=center	29.1	align=center	—
2020-10-13	2020-10-15		0.002273AU	0.88	align=center	11–26	align=center	26.8	align=center	—
2020-10-14	2020-10-15		0.000503AU	0.20	align=center	3.2–7.2	align=center	29.6	align=center	—
2020-10-15	2020-10-17		0.001822AU	0.71	align=center	21–46	align=center	25.5	align=center
2020-10-17	2020-10-15		0.000928AU	0.36	align=center	8.0–18	align=center	29.0	align=center	—
2020-10-18	2020-10-15		0.001538AU	0.60	align=center	8.5–19	align=center	27.6	align=center
2020-10-19	2020-10-17		0.001271AU	0.49	align=center	1.6–3.6	align=center	31.1	align=center	—
2020-10-19	2020-10-15		0.001024AU	0.40	align=center	4.0–9.0	align=center	27.5	align=center	—
2020-10-21	2020-10-16		0.000298AU	0.12	align=center	5.9–13	align=center	28.3	align=center	—
2020-10-21	2020-10-17		0.002347AU	0.91	align=center	4.3–9.6	align=center	29.0	align=center	—
2020-10-22	2020-10-21		0.002343AU	0.91	align=center	6.1–14	align=center	28.2	align=center
2020-10-22	2020-10-21		0.000289AU	0.11	align=center	5.1–11	align=center	28.6	align=center	—
2020-11-02	2020-11-05		0.001481AU	0.58	align=center	5.4–12	align=center	28.4	align=center	—
2020-11-06	2020-11-10		0.001157AU	0.45	align=center	6.7–15	align=center	28.0	align=center	—
2020-11-09	2020-11-09		0.00254AU	0.99	align=center	4.4–9.8	align=center	28.9	align=center	—
2020-11-11	2020-11-10		0.001225AU	0.49	align=center	7.8–17	align=center	27.7	align=center
2020-11-13	2020-11-14		4.5E-05AU	0.02	align=center	4.9–11	align=center	28.7	align=center	—
2020-11-13	2020-11-13		0.001691AU	0.66	align=center	3.9–8.6	align=center	29.2	align=center	—
2020-11-24	2020-11-25		0.000746AU	0.29	align=center	4.4–9.9	align=center	28.9	align=center	—
2020-11-26	2020-11-27		0.002416AU	0.94	align=center	7.9–18	align=center	27.6	align=center	—
2020-11-26	2020-11-27		0.001346AU	0.52	align=center	7.6–17	align=center	27.7	align=center	—
2020-11-30	2020-12-04		0.00081AU	0.32	align=center	4.2–9.5	align=center	29.0	align=center
2020-12-01	2020-12-04		0.001991AU	0.77	align=center	15–33	align=center	26.3	align=center
2020-12-03	2020-12-05		0.002184AU	0.85	align=center	13–28	align=center	26.6	align=center
2020-12-03	2020-12-05		0.000593AU	0.23	align=center	12–28	align=center	26.7	align=center	—
2020-12-03	2020-11-14		0.002332AU	0.91	align=center	25–57	align=center	25.1	align=center
2020-12-07	2020-12-07		0.000139AU	0.05	align=center	2.0–4.4	align=center	30.6	align=center	—
2020-12-08	2020-12-07		0.000327AU	0.13	align=center	7.0–16	align=center	27.9	align=center	—
2020-12-16	2020-12-10		0.002293AU	0.89	align=center	8.8–20	align=center	27.4	align=center
2020-12-18	2020-12-10		0.000382AU	0.15	align=center	5.4–12	align=center	28.5	align=center	—
2020-12-19	2020-12-21		0.001153AU	0.45	align=center	5.4–12	align=center	28.5	align=center	—
2020-12-20	2020-12-21		0.000581AU	0.23	align=center	1.7–3.8	align=center	31.0	align=center	—
2020-12-21	2020-12-21		0.002291AU	0.89	align=center	9.4–21	align=center	27.3	align=center	—
2020-12-28	2020-12-27		0.000645AU	0.25	align=center	7.7–17	align=center	27.7	align=center	—

Warning times by size

This sub-section visualises the warning times of the close approaches listed in the above table, depending on the size of the asteroid. It shows the effectiveness of asteroid warning systems at detecting close approaches in 2021. The sizes of the charts show the relative sizes of the asteroids to scale. For comparison, the approximate size of a person is also shown. This is based the absolute magnitude of each asteroid, an approximate measure of size based on brightness.

Absolute Magnitude 30 and greater (size of a person for comparison)Absolute Magnitude 29-30Absolute Magnitude 28-29Absolute Magnitude 27-28Absolute Magnitude 26-27Absolute Magnitude 25-26 Absolute Magnitude less than 25 (largest)

Predicted close approaches

Below is the list of predicted close approaches of near-Earth asteroids larger than magnitude 27, that were predicted to occur in 2020.^[9] This relates to asteroid cataloging systems effectiveness at predicting close approaches in 2020.

For asteroids which were observed but not predicted, see the main list above. In 2020, at the outset of the year, no asteroids were predicted to pass within 1 lunar distance of Earth. Table omitted.

Notes

Additional examples

An example list of near-Earth asteroids that passed or will pass more than 1 lunar distance (384,400 km or 0.00256 AU) from Earth in 2020.

Object	data-sort-type="number"	Size (meters)	data-sort-type="number"	Nearest approach (lunar distances)	Date	Ref
	165		2020-02-03
	700		2020-02-15
	1,750		2020-04-29
	350		2020-05-10
	1,000		2020-05-21
Planet Venus[10]	—		2020-06-03	JPL
	613		2020-06-06
	115		2020-06-08
	228		2020-06-24
	700		2020-07-23
	35		2020-09-02
	22		2020-09-22
	2,600		2020-10-19
	12		2020-10-21
	2-4	[11]	2020-11-02
	800		2020-11-22
	600		2020-11-29
	150		2020-12-25
162173 Ryugu	865		2020-12-29

Notes

See also

• List of asteroid close approaches to Earth
• List of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2019
• List of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2021
• Asteroid impact prediction

Notes and References

1. For a list of current Earth close approaches see Close Approaches and NEO Earth Close Approaches
2. Web site: New Data Confirm 2020 SO to be the Upper Centaur Rocket Booster from the 1960's. NASA. 2 December 2020.
3. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2020 FD2). Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
4. passed Earth with a velocity with respect to Earth of 33.4 km/s and was moving away from the Sun at 38.6 km/s.
5. Distance from the center of Earth to the center of the object. See the NASA/JPL Solar System Dynamics Glossary: Geocentric. Earth has a radius of approximately 6,400 km (0.0166 LD).
6. Objects that approached closer to the Moon than Earth are marked with a check.
7. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser . JPL Solar System Dynamics . NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
8. Web site: MPC Database . IAU Minor Planet Center . International Astronomical Union . 1 January 2021.
9. [Absolute magnitude#Solar System bodies (H)|Absolute magnitude]
10. For comparison
11. could potentially pass less than 1 lunar distance to Earth, but the chances are fairly low and as such it was not listed in the main table unless followup observations confirm that it will pass less than 1 LD from Earth. A longer observation arc is required to constrain the orbit better. The Earth approach distance has an uncertainty of about 4 million km, ±3 days, and a 1:240 chance of impacting Earth.