·

Asteroid 2020 VT4 makes extremely close approach to Earth at just 0.02 LD – breaks record for the closest asteroid flyby

Written byTeo Blašković Updated on
asteroid-2020-vt4-closest-asteroid-flyby-on-record

A newly-discovered asteroid designated 2020 VT4 flew past Earth at a very close distance of just 0.02 LD / 0.0000451 AU (6 746 km / 4 192 miles) from the center of our planet at 17:20 UTC on November 13, 2020. This makes it the closest known asteroid to flyby Earth, surpassing 2020 QG which flew past us on August 16, 2020, at 0.0000623 AU.

2020 VT4 is the 91st known asteroid to flyby Earth within 1 lunar distance since the start of the year and the 6th so far this month.

The object was first observed at ATLAS-MLO, Mauna Loa, Hawaii on November 14, one day after its close approach.

It belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids and has an estimated diameter between 4.8 and 11 m (16 – 36 feet).

2020 VT4 flew past us at a speed (relative to the Earth) of 13.42 km/s.

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

<1LD asteroids in 2020

Asteroid flybys within 1 lunar distance in 2020 (total 91, valid 13:11 UTC, November 15):

NEODATE / TIME UTCDISTANCE LD | AU Diameter (m)
2020 SODecember 1 @ 09:41 ± 00:010.13 | 0.000335.1 – 11
2020 VT4November 13 @ 17:20 ± 00:030.02 | 0.0000451**4.8 – 11
2020 VP1November 11 @ 06:59 ± 00:090.48 | 0.001237.9 – 18
2020 VR1November 9 @ 17:51 ± < 00:010.99 | 0.002544.4 – 9.8
2020 VO1November 6 @ 23:48 ± 00:020.45 | 0.001166.5 – 15
2020 VWNovember 2 @ 09:05 ± 00:420.58 | 0.001485.4 – 12
2020 UF3October 22 @ 15:53 ± < 00:010.11 | 0.000295.7 – 13
2020 UO3October 22 @ 15:53 ± < 00:010.91 | 0.002346.2 – 14
2020 UYOctober 21 @ 04:24 ± 00:010.91 | 0.002354.3 – 9.6
2020 UAOctober 21 @ 02:00 ± < 00:010.12 | 0.000305.6 – 12
2020 TF6October 19 @ 19:24 ± < 00:010.40 | 0.001038.1 – 18
2020 UXOctober 19 @ 06:56 ± 00:180.49 | 0.001261.6 – 3.6
2020 TE6October 18 @ 19:19 ± < 00:010.60 | 0.001548.4 – 19
2020 TG6October 17 @ 18:03 ± < 00:010.36 | 0.000934.1 – 9.2
2020 UEOctober 15 @ 08:55 ± < 00:010.71 | 0.0018221 – 46
2020 TK7October 14 @ 16:00 ± < 00:010.20 | 0.000503.2 – 7.2
2020 TD7October 14 @ 16:00 ± 00:010.88 | 0.0022711 – 26
2020 TS1October 12 @ 10:57 ± < 00:010.66 | 0.001704 – 9
2020 TE5October 9 @ 18:18 ± 00:050.15 | 0.000384.2 – 9.3
2020 TAOctober 1 @ 11:06 ± 00:020.57 | 0.0014721 – 47
2020 SQ4September 26 @ 18:05 ± < 00:010.92 | 0.002364.5 – 10
2020 SN5September 24 @ 12:47 ± < 00:010.53 | 0.001356.1 -14
2020 SWSeptember 24 @ 11:13 ± < 00:010.07 | 0.000194.3 – 9.7
2020 SG6September 23 @ 12:45  ± < 00:040.58 | 0.001493.7 – 8.3
2020 SZ2September 19 @ 04:16 ± < 00:010.95 | 0.002453.5 – 7.9
2020 RZ6September 17 @ 18:23 ± < 00:010.88 | 0.0022712 – 27
2020 RD4September 14 @ 20:33 ± < 00:010.28 | 0.000712.9 – 6.5
2020 RF3September 14 @ 06:49 ± 00:010.24 | 0.000635.3 – 12
2020 SPSeptember 13 @ 00:57 ± 00:020.86 | 0.002229.9 – 22
2020 RG10September 10 @ 11:33 ± 00:020.35 | 0.000914.3 – 9.7
2020 RE5September 9 @ 16:50 ± 00:030.64 | 0.001644.1 – 9.2
2011 ES4September 1 @ 16:12 ± < 00:010.32 | 0.0008122 – 49
2020 QR5August 23 @ 04:20  ± < 00:010.83 | 0.002149.1 – 20
2020 QQ4August 22 @ 23:18 ± < 00:010.80 | 0.002064.6 – 10
2020 QN4August 21 @ 04:23 ± < 00:010.71 | 0.001825 – 11
2020 QY2August 20 @ 23:50 ± < 00:010.17 | 0.000441.6 – 3.6
2020 PY2August 20 @ 21:29 ± < 00:010.91 | 0.0023412 – 27
2020 QF2August 18 @ 01:41 ± < 00:010.55 | 0.001407.1 – 16
2020 QGAugust 16 @ 04:09 ± < 00:010.02 | 0.0000623*2.9 – 6.4
2020 PW2August 14 @ 04:25 ± < 00:010.73 | 0.001874.9 – 11
2020 QJ5August 12 @ 14:59 ± < 00:010.77 | 0.0019712 – 26
2020 PX5August 11 @ 08:45 ± < 00:010.59 | 0.001533.2 – 7.2
2020 PAAugust 1 @ 01:56 ± < 00:010.15 | 0.000394.6 – 10
2020 OY4July 28 @ 05:32  ± < 00:010.11 | 0.000282.3 – 5.2
2020 NBJuly 5 @ 21:21 ± < 00:010.46 | 0.0011915 – 33
2020 ML2June 13 @ 04:45 ± < 00:010.93 | 0.002386.7 – 15
2020 LDJune 5 @ 08:25 ± 00:05 0.80 | 0.0020589 – 200
2020 KC5May 29 @ 20:46 ± < 00:010.97 | 0.002489.1 – 20
2020 KJ4May 28 @ 13:21 ± < 00:010.37 | ​0.000962.8 – 6.2
2020 KF5May 28 @ 12:47 ± < 00:080.64 | 0.001653.5 – 7.8
2020 JNMay 5 @ 03:22 ± < 00:010.65 | ​0.001679 – 20
2020 JJMay 4 @ 12:05 ± < 00:010.03 | 0.00008962.7 – 6
2020 JAMay 3 @ 20:01 ± < 00:010.62 | 0.001609.6 – 22
2020 JGApril 30 @ 19:38 ± < 00:020.56 | 0.0014318 – 41
2020 HS7April 28 @ 18:51 ± < 00:010.11 | 0.000294 – 8.9
2020 HP6April 27 @ 14:40 ± < 00:010.33 | 0.000846.7 – 15
2020 HT8April 26 @ 13:33 ± 00:010.38 | 0.000995.8 – 13
2020 HX3April 24 @ 19:38 ± < 00:010.66 | 0.0016911 – 24
2020 HU7April 22 @ 20:19 ± < 00:010.34 | 0.000873.1 – 7
2020 HF5April 22 @ 16:41 ± < 00:010.38 | 0.00098 12 – 27
2020 HM6April 22 @ 05:51 ± 00:050.42 | 0.0010913 – 28
2020 GH2April 15 @ 12:45 ± 00:500.93 | 0.0024013 – 30
2020 HOApril 15 @ 10:06 ± 00:01 0.75 | 0.001934.6 – 10
2020 GY1April 5 @ 07:37 ± < 00:010.21 | 0.0005413 – 28
2020 GHApril 3 @ 22:04 ± < 00:010.33 | 0.000844.1 – 9.2
2020 GO1April 1 @ 19:09 ± < 00:010.18 | 0.000467.9 – 18
2020 FB7March 31 @ 16:17 ± < 00:010.20 | 0.0005216 -36
2020 FJ4March 25 @ 13:42 ± < 00:010.67 | 0.001723.4 – 7.6
2020 FL2March 22 @ 20:32 ± < 00:010.38 | 0.0009915 – 33
2020 FG4March 19 @ 00:51 ± 00:010.49 | 0.0012610 – 23
2020 FDMarch 18 @ 04:05 ± < 00:010.67 | 0.001717.8 – 17
2020 FD2March 18 @ 20:17 ± 00:310.85 | 0.0021920 – 44
2020 DR4February 24 @ 20:30 ± 00:030.24 | 0.000623 – 6.8
2020 DWFebruary 18 @ 17:02 ± < 00:010.63 | 0.001612.3 – 5.1
2020 DA1February 18 @ 10:32 ± < 00:010.50 | 0.001293.1 – 6.8
2020 CQ2February 14 @ 02:19 ± < 00:010.39 | 0.000995 – 11
2020 CD3February 13 @ 16:20 ± < 00:010.12 | 0.000311.2 – 2.7
2020 DUFebruary 13 @ 13:22 ± 00:060.85 | 0.002174.9 – 11
2020 CQ1February 4 @ 11:16 ± 00:020.17 | 0.000434.6 – 10
2020 BT14February 3 @ 08:19 ± < 00:010.49 | 0.00126​7.9 – 18
2020 CAFebruary 2 @ 15:49 ± 00:020.57 | 0.00147​3.2 – 7.2
2020 CWFebruary 1 @ 12:50 ± < 00:01 0.04 | 0.000110.83 – 1.9
2020 CJJanuary 31 @ 19:03 ± < 00:01 0.92 | 0.0023611 – 24
2020 CZJanuary 31 @ 03:51 ± 00:480.82 | 0.002103.7 – 8.2
2020 BZ13January 29 @ 01:18 ± < 00:010.28 | 0.000712.9 – 6.5
2020 BA15January 28 @ 18:03 ± 00:020.98 | ​0.002518.9 – 20
2020 BA13January 27 @ 16:56 ± < 00:01 0.51 | ​0.001324.7 – 11
2020 BH6January 25 @ 05:11 ± < 00:010.18 | ​0.000475.2 – 12
2020 BB5January 22 @ 00:20 ± 00:200.69 | 0.001773.3 – 7.4
2020 BK3January 20 @ 20:51 ± 00:050.78 | 0.0020011 – 25
2020 AP1January 2 @ 15:33  ± 00:020.85 | 0.002183.2 – 7.2

*Previous closest asteroid flyby on record

**Current closest asteroid flyby on record

<1LD asteroids in 2019

Asteroids detected within 1 lunar distance in 2019 (total 77):

NEODATE / TIME UTCDISTANCE LD | AU Diameter (m)
2019 YV4December 25 @ 21:41 ± 11:010.98 | 0.002519.3 – 21
2019 YU2December 23 @ 19:28 ± < 00:010.26 | 0.000668.9 – 20
2019 YSDecember 18 @ 15:12 ± < 00:010.17 | 0.000441.3 – 3
2019 YBDecember 18 @ 00:12 ± 00:03 0.44 | 0.001133.1 – 7
2019 WJ4November 30 @ 20:05 ± < 00:010.85 | 0.002195.5 – 12
2019 WG2November 23 @ 08:44 ± < 00:010.47 | 0.0012126 – 59
2019 WV1November 19 @ 23:45 ± 03:130.72 | ​0.001866.3 – 14
2019 WHNovember 19 @ 08:01 ± < 00:010.22 | ​0.0005716 – 36
2019 VF5November 9 @ 23:16 ± < 00:010.49 | 0.001278.3 – 19
2019 VB5November 9 @ 17:29 ± < 00:010.38 | 0.000971.2 – 2.7
2019 VS4November 6 @ 16:28 ± < 00:010.36 | 0.000939.3 – 21
2019 VRNovember 4 @ 10:35 ± < 00:010.35 | 0.000916.5 – 14
2019 VDNovember 4 @ 09:55 ± 00:010.45 | 0.001168.7 – 19
2019 VANovember 2 @ 17:41 ± 00:12 0.28 | 0.000725.6 – 12
2019 UG11November 1 @ 20:42 ± 00:020.55 | 0.0014013 – 29
2019 UN13October 31 @ 14:45 ± < 00:010.03 | 8.43e-51 – 2.2
2019 UB8October 29 @ 06:30 ± 00:030.50 | 0.001274 – 8.9
2019 UD10October 27 @ 10:08 ± 00:020.44 | 0.001126.3 – 14
2019 UX12October 26 @ 03:08 ± 00:040.99 | 0.002554.9 – 11
2019 UO8October 25 @ 13:30 ± 00:010.41 | 0.001053.1 – 6.9
2019 UN8October 23 @ 16:41 ± 00:170.93 | 0.00235 3.1 – 6.9
2019 UL3October 19 @ 22:23 ± 00:080.77 | 0.001996 – 13
2019 UGOctober 18 @ 09:23 ± < 00:010.84 | 0.002156.8 – 15
2019 UU1October 18 @ 06:23 ± < 00:010.59 | 0.001502.1 – 5.1
2019 TN5October 5 @ 22:38 ± < 00:010.32 | 0.000835.5 – 12
2019 SP3October 3 @ 06:36 ± 00:340.97 | 0.0024813 – 30
2019 SM8October 1 @ 13:56 ± < 00:01 0.41 | ​0.001063.8 – 8.6
2019 TDSeptember 29 @ 18:50 ± 00:130.34 | ​0.000874.1 – 9.1
2019 TESeptember 28 @ 20:31 ± 01:310.93 | 0.002386.8 – 15
2019 SX8September 28 @ 07:49 ± 00:380.99 | 0.002554.6 – 10
2019 SS3September 22 @ 22:48 ± 00:210.73 | 0.0018815 – 34
2019 SS2September 21 @ 07:12 ± 00:020.30 | ​0.000772 – 4.4
2019 SD1September 21 @ 06:46 ± < 00:01 0.73 | 0.001875.5 – 12
2019 SU2September 21 @ 02:48 ± 00:050.19 | 0.000482.7 – 6.1
2019 SJSeptember 16 @ 18:55 ± 00:030.64 | 0.001638.6 – 19
2019 RC1September 7 @ 10:48 ± 00:040.48 | ​0.001234.5 – 10
2019 RP1September 5 @ 22:04 ± < 00:01 0.10 | ​0.000257.4 – 17
2019 RQSeptember 2 @ 16:45 ± < 00:01 0.29 | ​0.000742.1 – 4.6
2019 QQ3August 26 @ 15:14 ± 00:010.25 | 0.000643.7 – 8.2
2019 QR8August 26 @ 08:51 ± 01:080.80 | ​0.002076.6 – 15
2019 QDAugust 22 @ 01:28 ± < 00:08 0.78 | 0.002004.7 – 11
2019 QH2August 20 @ 18:12 ± 00:080.13 | 0.000332.2 – 5
2019 QB1August 20 @ 11:55 ± 00:080.32 | 0.000829.3 – 21
2019 ON3July 29 @ 01:19 ±  00:140.56 | 0.001437.4 – 16
2019 OD3July 28 @ 02:56 ± < 00:010.49 | 0.0012611 – 25
2019 OKJuly 25 @ 01:22 ± < 00:040.19 | ​0.0004857 – 130
2019 ODJuly 24 @ 13:31 ± 00:040.93 | ​0.0023954 – 120
2019 NN3July 10 @ 16:29 ± < 00:010.83 | 0.0021435 – 77
2019 NF7July 9 @ 12:07 ± < 00:01 0.98 | 0.002536.4 – 14
2019 MB4July 9 @ 07:20 ± < 00:010.82 | 0.0021117 – 38
2019 NK1July 2 @ 09:48 ± 00:050.69 | 0.001772.9 – 6.5
2019 LW4June 8 @ 17:04 ± < 00:010.65 | ​​0.001669.3 – 21
2019 LY4June 6 @ 01:30 ± < 00:010.22 | ​​0.000567.3 – 16
2019 KTMay 28 @ 03:48 ± < 00:010.85 | ​0.0021713 – 29
2019 JH2May 16 @ 00:06 ± < 00:010.19 | ​0.000483.1 – 7
2019 JY2May 5 @ 17:12 ± < 00:010.38 | 0.000983.3 – 7.3
2019 JX1May 2 @ 12:39 ± 00:020.47 | 0.001203.8 – 8.6
2019 JKApril 30 @ 08:12 UTC ± 00:010.69 | 0.001787.1 – 16
2019 HEApril 20 @ 21:12 ± < 00:010.58 | 0.0014913 – 30
2019 GC6April 18 @ 06:39 ± 00:290.57 | 0.0014713 – 28
2019 GN20April 12 @ 07:06 ± < 00:010.98 | 0.0025314 – 31
2019 FP21March 31 @ 19:00  ±  07:460.93 | 0.002383 – 6.6
2019 FV1March 31 @ 05:27 ± < 00:010.87 | 0.002234.6 – 10
2019 FC1March 28 @ 05:46 ± < 00:010.27 | 0.0006920 – 45
2019 FQMarch 23 @ 18:17 UTC ± < 00:010.86 | 0.0022010 – 23
2019 EA2March 22 @ 01:53 UTC ± 00:020.80 | 0.0020518 – 40
2019 FAMarch 16 @ 01:14 UTC ± < 00:010.60 | 0.001544.9 – 11
2019 EN2March 13 @ 23:38 UTC ± < 00:010.86 | 0.002218 – 18
2019 EH1March 1 @ 17:38 UTC ± < 00:010.06 | 0.000162.5 – 5.7
2019 DFFebruary 26 @ 21:21 UTC  ± 00:090.47 | 0.001203.0 – 6.7
2019 DG2Febraury 26 @ 07:39 UTC ± 07:390.61 | 0.001585.4 – 12
2019 CN5February 11 @ 07:23 UTC ± 00:030.31 | 0.000797.3 – 16
2019 BZ3January 27 @ 23:29 ± < 00:010.13 | 0.00032 4.8 – 11
2019 BV1January 24 @ 20:53 ± < 00:010.35 | 0.00090 4.8 – 11
2019 BOJanuary 16 @ 01:13 ± 00:020.18 | 0.00046 6.3 – 14
2019 AE9January 12 @ 11:09 ± < 00:010.26 | 0.00067 9.9 – 22
2019 AS5January 8 @ 00:37 ± < 00:010.04 | 0.00010 0.92 – 2.1

 

Reference

Asteroid 2020 VT4 at Minor Planet Center, CNEOS

Featured image credit: MPC

Share:

Impacts of Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) on southern hemisphere’s weather patterns

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

South Korea hit by most intense downpour in 200 years

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Hurricane “Beryl” leaves 12 people dead in the United States, 16 across the Caribbean

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Strong solar radiation storm in progress after M9.7 solar flare produced large CME

Saturday, June 8, 2024

Asteroid 2024 LH1 flew past Earth at 0.02 LD on June 6

Thursday, June 6, 2024

Delhi-NCR registers national record-high temperature of 52.9 °C (127.2 °F)

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Major X8.7 flare erupts from Region 3664 — the strongest solar flare of Solar Cycle 25

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Impacts of Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) on southern hemisphere’s weather patterns

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Rare Sudden Stratospheric Warming event detected over Antarctica

Monday, July 15, 2024

South Korea hit by most intense downpour in 200 years

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Hurricane “Beryl” leaves 12 people dead in the United States, 16 across the Caribbean

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Egypt sets hottest June day in African history; historic heatwave hits Cyprus

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Strong solar radiation storm in progress after M9.7 solar flare produced large CME

Saturday, June 8, 2024

Asteroid 2024 LH1 flew past Earth at 0.02 LD on June 6

Thursday, June 6, 2024

California’s Park Fire explodes into massive ‘inferno consuming everything in its path’

Friday, July 26, 2024

Typhoon “Gaemi” intensifies into a super typhoon, makes a loop before striking Taiwan

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Impacts of Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) on southern hemisphere’s weather patterns

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Strong ash emissions, new lava fountaining episode at Etna volcano, Italy

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Two Earth-directed CMEs, G2 – Moderate geomagnetic storm watch in effect

Monday, July 22, 2024

Massive Saharan dust plume reaches Florida, U.S.

Saturday, July 20, 2024

Bright fireball over Massachusetts, U.S.

Saturday, July 20, 2024

I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.

Commenting rules and guidelines

We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *