Asteroid 2020 XX3 to flyby Earth at 0.1 LD on December 18

A newly-discovered asteroid designated 2020 XX3 will fly by Earth at a distance of 0.15 LD / 0.00038 AU (56 847 km / 35 323 miles) from the center of our planet on December 18, 2020.

2020 XX3 was first observed at Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala on December 10, eight days before its close approach.

The asteroid belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids and has an estimated diameter between 5.1 and 11 m (16 – 36 feet).

The object will fly past us at 06:47 UTC ± 00:56 at a speed (relative to the Earth) of 5.92 km/s.

This is the 102^nd asteroid to flyby Earth within 1 lunar distance since the start of the year and the 7^th so far this month.

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

<1LD asteroids in 2020

Asteroid flybys within 1 lunar distance in 2020 (total 102, valid 19:34 UTC, December 12):

NEO	DATE / TIME UTC	DISTANCE LD | AU	Diameter (m)
2020 XX3	December 18 @ 06:47 ± 00:56	0.15 | 0.00038	5.1 – 11
2020 XG2	December 7 @ 19:15 ± 00:02	0.13 | 0.00033	7 – 16
2020 XK1	December 7 @ 16:15 ± 00:02	0.05 | 0.00014	2 – 4.4
2020 VZ	December 3 @ 10:06 ± < 00:01	0.94 | 0.00233	25 – 57
2020 XF	December 3 @ 09:00 ± < 00:01	0.23 | 0.00059	12 – 28
2020 XE1	December 3 @ 08:23 ± 00:03	0.85 | 0.00218	12 – 27
2020 XE	December 1 @ 12:24 ± 00:10	0.77 | 0.00199	16 – 35
2020 SO***	December 1 @ 08:47 ± < 00:01	0.13 | 0.00034	4.9 – 11
2020 XC	November 30 @ 10:16 ± 00:02	0.32 | 0.00081	4.2 – 9.4
2020 WF5	November 26 @ 08:16 ± < 00:01	0.52 | 0.00135	7.5 – 17
2020 WG5	November 26 @ 02:36 ± < 00:01	0.94 | 0.00242	7.7 – 17
2020 WY4	November 24 @ 03:19 ± 00:04	0.29 | 0.00075	4.4 – 9.9
2020 VH5	November 13 @ 19:46 ± < 00:01	0.66 | 0.00169	3.9 – 8.6
2020 VT4	November 13 @ 17:20 ± 00:03	0.02 | 0.0000451**	4.9 – 11
2020 VP1	November 11 @ 06:59 ± 00:09	0.48 | 0.00123	7.9 – 17
2020 VR1	November 9 @ 17:51 ± < 00:01	0.99 | 0.00254	4.4 – 9.8
2020 VO1	November 6 @ 23:48 ± 00:02	0.45 | 0.00116	6.7 – 15
2020 VW	November 2 @ 09:05 ± 00:42	0.58 | 0.00148	5.4 – 12
2020 UF3	October 22 @ 15:53 ± < 00:01	0.11 | 0.00029	5.7 – 13
2020 UO3	October 22 @ 15:53 ± < 00:01	0.91 | 0.00234	6.2 – 14
2020 UY	October 21 @ 04:24 ± 00:01	0.91 | 0.00235	4.3 – 9.6
2020 UA	October 21 @ 02:00 ± < 00:01	0.12 | 0.00030	5.6 – 12
2020 TF6	October 19 @ 19:24 ± < 00:01	0.40 | 0.00103	8.1 – 18
2020 UX	October 19 @ 06:56 ± 00:18	0.49 | 0.00126	1.6 – 3.6
2020 TE6	October 18 @ 19:19 ± < 00:01	0.60 | 0.00154	8.4 – 19
2020 TG6	October 17 @ 18:03 ± < 00:01	0.36 | 0.00093	4.1 – 9.2
2020 UE	October 15 @ 08:55 ± < 00:01	0.71 | 0.00182	21 – 46
2020 TK7	October 14 @ 16:00 ± < 00:01	0.20 | 0.00050	3.2 – 7.2
2020 TD7	October 14 @ 16:00 ± 00:01	0.88 | 0.00227	11 – 26
2020 TS1	October 12 @ 10:57 ± < 00:01	0.66 | 0.00170	4 – 9
2020 TE5	October 9 @ 18:18 ± 00:05	0.15 | 0.00038	4.2 – 9.3
2020 TA	October 1 @ 11:06 ± 00:02	0.57 | 0.00147	21 – 47
2020 SQ4	September 26 @ 18:05 ± < 00:01	0.92 | 0.00236	4.5 – 10
2020 SN5	September 24 @ 12:47 ± < 00:01	0.53 | 0.00135	6.1 -14
2020 SW	September 24 @ 11:13 ± < 00:01	0.07 | 0.00019	4.3 – 9.7
2020 SG6	September 23 @ 12:45  ± < 00:04	0.58 | 0.00149	3.7 – 8.3
2020 SZ2	September 19 @ 04:16 ± < 00:01	0.95 | 0.00245	3.5 – 7.9
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 RG10	September 10 @ 11:33 ± 00:02	0.35 | 0.00091	4.3 – 9.7
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	9.1 – 20
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

*Previous closest asteroid flyby on record

**Current closest asteroid flyby on record

*** Turned out to be a rocket booster (source)

<1LD asteroids in 2019

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

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 XX3 at Minor Planet Center, CNEOS

Featured image credit: MPC