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Asteroid 2020 SW to flyby Earth at just 0.07 LD

asteroid-2020-sw

A newly-discovered asteroid designated 2020 SW is expected to flyby Earth at just 0.07 LD / 0.00019 AU (28 423 km / 17 661 miles) at 11:18 UTC (± 06:18) on September 24, 2020.

  • This is the 66th known asteroid to flyby Earth within 1 lunar distance since the start of the year and the 7th so far this month.
  • It is also the 4th closest asteroid flyby so far this year and 24th closest on record.

Asteroid 2020 SW was first observed at Mt. Lemmon Survey, Arizona on September 18, 6 days before its close approach.

The object belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids and has an estimated diameter between 4.3 and 9.7 m (14.1 – 31.8 feet).

The flyby is expected to take place at 11:18 UTC (± 06:18) at a speed (relative to the Earth) of 7.7 km/s.

Ephemeris | Orbit Diagram | Orbital Elements | Physical Parameters | Close-Approach Data ]

Asteroid flybys within 1 lunar distance in 2020 (valid 08:14 UTC, September 19):

NEO DATE / TIME UTC DISTANCE LD | AU  Diameter (m)
2020 SW September 24 @ 11:18 ± 06:18 0.07 | 0.00019 4.3 – 9.7
2020 RZ6 September 17 @ 18:23 ± < 00:01 0.88 | 0.00227 12 – 27
2020 RD4 September 14 @ 20:33 ± < 00:01 0.28 | 0.00071 2.9 – 6.5
2020 RF3 September 14 @ 06:49 ± 00:01 0.24 | 0.00063 5.3 – 12
2020 SP September 13 @ 00:57 ± 00:02 0.86 | 0.00222 9.9 – 22
2020 RE5 September 9 @ 16:50 ± 00:03 0.64 | 0.00164 4.1 – 9.2
2011 ES4 September 1 @ 16:12 ± < 00:01 0.32 | 0.00081 22 – 49
2020 QR5 August 23 @ 04:20 ± < 00:01  0.83 | 0.00214 9.2 – 21
2020 QQ4 August 22 @ 23:18 ± < 00:01 0.80 | 0.00206 4.6 – 10
2020 QN4 August 21 @ 04:23 ± < 00:01 0.71 | 0.00182 5 – 11
2020 QY2 August 20 @ 23:50 ± < 00:01 0.17 | 0.00044 1.6 – 3.6
2020 PY2 August 20 @ 21:29 ± < 00:01 0.91 | 0.00234 12 – 27
2020 QF2 August 18 @ 01:41 ± < 00:01 0.55 | 0.00140 7.1 – 16
2020 QG August 16 @ 04:09 ± < 00:01 0.02 | 0.0000623* 2.9 – 6.4
2020 PW2 August 14 @ 04:25 ± < 00:01 0.73 | 0.00187 4.9 – 11
2020 QJ5 August 12 @ 14:59 ± < 00:01 0.77 | 0.00197 12 – 26
2020 PX5 August 11 @ 08:45 ± < 00:01 0.59 | 0.00153 3.2 – 7.2
2020 PA August 1 @ 01:56 ± < 00:01 0.15 | 0.00039 4.6 – 10
2020 OY4 July 28 @ 05:32  ± < 00:01 0.11 | 0.00028 2.3 – 5.2
2020 NB July 5 @ 21:21 ± < 00:01 0.46 | 0.00119 15 – 33
2020 ML2 June 13 @ 04:45 ± < 00:01 0.93 | 0.00238 6.7 – 15
2020 LD June 5 @ 08:25 ± 00:05  0.80 | 0.00205 89 – 200
2020 KC5 May 29 @ 20:46 ± < 00:01 0.97 | 0.00248 9.1 – 20
2020 KJ4 May 28 @ 13:21 ± < 00:01 0.37 | ​0.00096 2.8 – 6.2
2020 KF5 May 28 @ 12:47 ± < 00:08 0.64 | 0.00165 3.5 – 7.8
2020 JN May 5 @ 03:22 ± < 00:01 0.65 | ​0.00167 9 – 20
2020 JJ May 4 @ 12:05 ± < 00:01 0.03 | 0.0000896 2.7 – 6
2020 JA May 3 @ 20:01 ± < 00:01 0.62 | 0.00160 9.6 – 22
2020 JG April 30 @ 19:38 ± < 00:02 0.56 | 0.00143 18 – 41
2020 HS7 April 28 @ 18:51 ± < 00:01 0.11 | 0.00029 4 – 8.9
2020 HP6 April 27 @ 14:40 ± < 00:01 0.33 | 0.00084 6.7 – 15
2020 HT8 April 26 @ 13:33 ± 00:01 0.38 | 0.00099 5.8 – 13
2020 HX3 April 24 @ 19:38 ± < 00:01 0.66 | 0.00169 11 – 24
2020 HU7 April 22 @ 20:19 ± < 00:01 0.34 | 0.00087 3.1 – 7
2020 HF5 April 22 @ 16:41 ± < 00:01 0.38 | 0.00098  12 – 27
2020 HM6 April 22 @ 05:51 ± 00:05 0.42 | 0.00109 13 – 28
2020 GH2 April 15 @ 12:45 ± 00:50 0.93 | 0.00240 13 – 30
2020 HO April 15 @ 10:06 ± 00:01  0.75 | 0.00193 4.6 – 10
2020 GY1 April 5 @ 07:37 ± < 00:01 0.21 | 0.00054 13 – 28
2020 GH April 3 @ 22:04 ± < 00:01 0.33 | 0.00084 4.1 – 9.2
2020 GO1 April 1 @ 19:09 ± < 00:01 0.18 | 0.00046 7.9 – 18
2020 FB7 March 31 @ 16:17 ± < 00:01 0.20 | 0.00052 16 -36
2020 FJ4 March 25 @ 13:42 ± < 00:01 0.67 | 0.00172 3.4 – 7.6
2020 FL2 March 22 @ 20:32 ± < 00:01 0.38 | 0.00099 15 – 33
2020 FG4 March 19 @ 00:51 ± 00:01 0.49 | 0.00126 10 – 23
2020 FD March 18 @ 04:05 ± < 00:01 0.67 | 0.00171 7.8 – 17
2020 FD2 March 18 @ 20:17 ± 00:31 0.85 | 0.00219 20 – 44
2020 DR4 February 24 @ 20:30 ± 00:03 0.24 | 0.00062 3 – 6.8
2020 DW February 18 @ 17:02 ± < 00:01 0.63 | 0.00161 2.3 – 5.1
2020 DA1 February 18 @ 10:32 ± < 00:01 0.50 | 0.00129 3.1 – 6.8
2020 CQ2 February 14 @ 02:19 ± < 00:01 0.39 | 0.00099 5 – 11
2020 CD3 February 13 @ 16:20 ± < 00:01 0.12 | 0.00031 1.2 – 2.7
2020 DU February 13 @ 13:22 ± 00:06 0.85 | 0.00217 4.9 – 11
2020 CQ1 February 4 @ 11:16 ± 00:02 0.17 | 0.00043 4.6 – 10
2020 BT14 February 3 @ 08:19 ± < 00:01 0.49 | 0.00126​ 7.9 – 18
2020 CA February 2 @ 15:49 ± 00:02 0.57 | 0.00147​ 3.2 – 7.2
2020 CW February 1 @ 12:50 ± < 00:01  0.04 | 0.00011 0.83 – 1.9
2020 CJ January 31 @ 19:03 ± < 00:01  0.92 | 0.00236 11 – 24
2020 CZ January 31 @ 03:51 ± 00:48 0.82 | 0.00210 3.7 – 8.2
2020 BZ13 January 29 @ 01:18 ± < 00:01 0.28 | 0.00071 2.9 – 6.5
2020 BA15 January 28 @ 18:03 ± 00:02 0.98 | ​0.00251 8.9 – 20
2020 BA13 January 27 @ 16:56 ± < 00:01  0.51 | ​0.00132 4.7 – 11
2020 BH6 January 25 @ 05:11 ± < 00:01 0.18 | ​0.00047 5.2 – 12
2020 BB5 January 22 @ 00:20 ± 00:20 0.69 | 0.00177 3.3 – 7.4
2020 BK3 January 20 @ 20:51 ± 00:05 0.78 | 0.00200 11 – 25
2020 AP1 January 2 @ 15:33  ± 00:02 0.85 | 0.00218 3.2 – 7.2

*Closest asteroid flyby on record

Asteroids detected within 1 lunar distance in 2019:

NEO DATE / TIME UTC DISTANCE LD | AU  Diameter (m)
2019 YV4 December 25 @ 21:41 ± 11:01 0.98 | 0.00251 9.3 – 21
2019 YU2 December 23 @ 19:28 ± < 00:01 0.26 | 0.00066 8.9 – 20
2019 YS December 18 @ 15:12 ± < 00:01 0.17 | 0.00044 1.3 – 3
2019 YB December 18 @ 00:12 ± 00:03  0.44 | 0.00113 3.1 – 7
2019 WJ4 November 30 @ 20:05 ± < 00:01 0.85 | 0.00219 5.5 – 12
2019 WG2 November 23 @ 08:44 ± < 00:01 0.47 | 0.00121 26 – 59
2019 WV1 November 19 @ 23:45 ± 03:13 0.72 | ​0.00186 6.3 – 14
2019 WH November 19 @ 08:01 ± < 00:01 0.22 | ​0.00057 16 – 36
2019 VF5 November 9 @ 23:16 ± < 00:01 0.49 | 0.00127 8.3 – 19
2019 VB5 November 9 @ 17:29 ± < 00:01 0.38 | 0.00097 1.2 – 2.7
2019 VS4 November 6 @ 16:28 ± < 00:01 0.36 | 0.00093 9.3 – 21
2019 VR November 4 @ 10:35 ± < 00:01 0.35 | 0.00091 6.5 – 14
2019 VD November 4 @ 09:55 ± 00:01 0.45 | 0.00116 8.7 – 19
2019 VA November 2 @ 17:41 ± 00:12  0.28 | 0.00072 5.6 – 12
2019 UG11 November 1 @ 20:42 ± 00:02 0.55 | 0.00140 13 – 29
2019 UN13 October 31 @ 14:45 ± < 00:01 0.03 | 8.43e-5 1 – 2.2
2019 UB8 October 29 @ 06:30 ± 00:03 0.50 | 0.00127 4 – 8.9
2019 UD10 October 27 @ 10:08 ± 00:02 0.44 | 0.00112 6.3 – 14
2019 UX12 October 26 @ 03:08 ± 00:04 0.99 | 0.00255 4.9 – 11
2019 UO8 October 25 @ 13:30 ± 00:01 0.41 | 0.00105 3.1 – 6.9
2019 UN8 October 23 @ 16:41 ± 00:17 0.93 | 0.00235  3.1 – 6.9
2019 UL3 October 19 @ 22:23 ± 00:08 0.77 | 0.00199 6 – 13
2019 UG October 18 @ 09:23 ± < 00:01 0.84 | 0.00215 6.8 – 15
2019 UU1 October 18 @ 06:23 ± < 00:01 0.59 | 0.00150 2.1 – 5.1
2019 TN5 October 5 @ 22:38 ± < 00:01 0.32 | 0.00083 5.5 – 12
2019 SP3 October 3 @ 06:36 ± 00:34 0.97 | 0.00248 13 – 30
2019 SM8 October 1 @ 13:56 ± < 00:01  0.41 | ​0.00106 3.8 – 8.6
2019 TD September 29 @ 18:50 ± 00:13 0.34 | ​0.00087 4.1 – 9.1
2019 TE September 28 @ 20:31 ± 01:31 0.93 | 0.00238 6.8 – 15
2019 SX8 September 28 @ 07:49 ± 00:38 0.99 | 0.00255 4.6 – 10
2019 SS3 September 22 @ 22:48 ± 00:21 0.73 | 0.00188 15 – 34
2019 SS2 September 21 @ 07:12 ± 00:02 0.30 | ​0.00077 2 – 4.4
2019 SD1 September 21 @ 06:46 ± < 00:01  0.73 | 0.00187 5.5 – 12
2019 SU2 September 21 @ 02:48 ± 00:05 0.19 | 0.00048 2.7 – 6.1
2019 SJ September 16 @ 18:55 ± 00:03 0.64 | 0.00163 8.6 – 19
2019 RC1 September 7 @ 10:48 ± 00:04 0.48 | ​0.00123 4.5 – 10
2019 RP1 September 5 @ 22:04 ± < 00:01  0.10 | ​0.00025 7.4 – 17
2019 RQ September 2 @ 16:45 ± < 00:01  0.29 | ​0.00074 2.1 – 4.6
2019 QQ3 August 26 @ 15:14 ± 00:01 0.25 | 0.00064 3.7 – 8.2
2019 QR8 August 26 @ 08:51 ± 01:08 0.80 | 0.00207 6.6 – 15
2019 QD August 22 @ 01:28 ± < 00:08  0.78 | 0.00200 4.7 – 11
2019 QH2 August 20 @ 18:12 ± 00:08 0.13 | 0.00033 2.2 – 5
2019 QB1 August 20 @ 11:55 ± 00:08 0.32 | 0.00082 9.3 – 21
2019 ON3 July 29 @ 01:19 ±  00:14 0.56 | 0.00143 7.4 – 16
2019 OD3 July 28 @ 02:56 ± < 00:01 0.49 | 0.00126 11 – 25
2019 OK July 25 @ 01:22 ± < 00:04 0.19 | ​0.00048 57 – 130
2019 OD July 24 @ 13:31 ± 00:04 0.93 | ​0.00239 54 – 120
2019 NN3 July 10 @ 16:29 ± < 00:01 0.83 | 0.00214 35 – 77
2019 NF7 July 9 @ 12:07 ± < 00:01  0.98 | 0.00253 6.4 – 14
2019 MB4 July 9 @ 07:20 ± < 00:01 0.82 | 0.00211 17 – 38
2019 NK1 July 2 @ 09:48 ± 00:05 0.69 | 0.00177 2.9 – 6.5
2019 LW4 June 8 @ 17:04 ± < 00:01 0.65 | ​​0.00166 9.3 – 21
2019 LY4 June 6 @ 01:30 ± < 00:01 0.22 | ​​0.00056 7.3 – 16
2019 KT May 28 @ 03:48 ± < 00:01 0.85 | ​0.00217 13 – 29
2019 JH2 May 16 @ 00:06 ± < 00:01 0.19 | ​0.00048 3.1 – 7
2019 JY2 May 5 @ 17:12 ± < 00:01 0.38 | 0.00098 3.3 – 7.3
2019 JX1 May 2 @ 12:39 ± 00:02 0.47 | 0.00120 3.8 – 8.6
2019 JK April 30 @ 08:12 UTC ± 00:01 0.69 | 0.00178 7.1 – 16
2019 HE April 20 @ 21:12 ± < 00:01 0.58 | 0.00149 13 – 30
2019 GC6 April 18 @ 06:39 ± 00:29 0.57 | 0.00147 13 – 28
2019 GN20 April 12 @ 07:06 ± < 00:01 0.98 | 0.00253 14 – 31
2019 FP21 March 31 @ 19:00  ±  07:46 0.93 | 0.00238 3 – 6.6
2019 FV1 March 31 @ 05:27 ± < 00:01 0.87 | 0.00223 4.6 – 10
2019 FC1 March 28 @ 05:46 ± < 00:01 0.27 | 0.00069 20 – 45
2019 FQ March 23 @ 18:17 UTC ± < 00:01 0.86 | 0.00220 10 – 23
2019 EA2 March 22 @ 01:53 UTC ± 00:02 0.80 | 0.00205 18 – 40
2019 FA March 16 @ 01:14 UTC ± < 00:01 0.60 | 0.00154 4.9 – 11
2019 EN2 March 13 @ 23:38 UTC ± < 00:01 0.86 | 0.00221 8 – 18
2019 EH1 March 1 @ 17:38 UTC ± < 00:01 0.06 | 0.00016 2.5 – 5.7
2019 DF February 26 @ 21:21 UTC  ± 00:09 0.47 | 0.00120 3.0 – 6.7
2019 DG2 Febraury 26 @ 07:39 UTC ± 07:39 0.61 | 0.00158 5.4 – 12
2019 CN5 February 11 @ 07:23 UTC ± 00:03 0.31 | 0.00079 7.3 – 16
2019 BZ3 January 27 @ 23:29 ± < 00:01 0.13 | 0.00032  4.8 – 11
2019 BV1 January 24 @ 20:53 ± < 00:01 0.35 | 0.00090  4.8 – 11
2019 BO January 16 @ 01:13 ± 00:02 0.18 | 0.00046  6.3 – 14
2019 AE9 January 12 @ 11:09 ± < 00:01 0.26 | 0.00067  9.9 – 22
2019 AS5 January 8 @ 00:37 ± < 00:01 0.04 | 0.00010  0.92 – 2.1

 

Reference

Asteroid 2020 SW at Minor Planet Center; at CNEOS

Featured image credit: MPC

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