2020 CW
Near-Earth asteroid
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2020 CW is a tiny near-Earth asteroid of the Apollo group, approximately 1 meter (3 ft) in diameter. It was first observed by the Mount Lemmon Survey on 1 February 2020,[1] when it passed Earth very closely at a nominal distance of only 0.041 lunar distances (0.000105 astronomical units).[2] The object's orbital elements remain highly uncertain.[1][2]
(first observed only)
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | MLS |
| Discovery site | Mount Lemon Obs. |
| Discovery date | 1 February 2020 (first observed only) |
| Designations | |
| 2020 CW | |
| NEO · Apollo[1][2] | |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch 1 February 2020 (JD 2458880.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 8[2] · —[1] | |
| Observation arc | 0 day |
| Aphelion | 1.9980 AU |
| Perihelion | 0.4769 AU |
| 1.2375 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.6146 |
| 1.38 yr (503 d) | |
| 322.21° | |
| 0° 42m 57.6s / day | |
| Inclination | 2.1259° |
| 132.01° | |
| 110.66° | |
| Earth MOID | 0.030 LD (0.000076 AU) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 1.1 m (est at 0.14)[3][4] | |
| 32.5[1][2] 32.6[4] | |
Description
2020 CW passed within 15,660 kilometres (9,730 mi) of the Earth on 1 February 2020, with a fly-by speed of 21.2 kilometres (13.2 mi) per second.[2] The household-appliance-sized asteroid passed within the orbit of satellites in the geostationary ring at 35,900 kilometres (22,300 mi) above Earth's equator.[5] At the time, it was the closest approach in the year 2020. Since then, 2020 JJ made a closer approach on 4 May 2020.[6]
The asteroid was first observed 1 February 2020 by the Mount Lemmon Survey at Mount Lemmon Observatory in the Santa Catalina Mountains northeast of Tucson, Arizona.[1] The next encounter closer than the Moon is predicted to occur 5 February 2029 at a distance of 19,040 kilometres (11,830 mi) or more.[2]