2020 CW

2020 CW is an asteroid classified as a Near-Earth Object (NEO) that passed within 9,730 miles (15,660 km) of the Earth on February 1, 2020, with a fly-by speed of 13.2 miles (21.2 km) per second.[3] The household-appliance-sized asteroid passed within the orbit of satellites in the geostationary ring at 22,300 miles (35,900 km) above Earth's equator.[1] At the time, it was the closest approach in the year 2020. Since then, 2020 JJ made a closer approach on May 4, 2020.[5]

2020 CW

Discovery [1] [2] [3]
Discovery site	Mount Lemmon Survey
Discovery date	February 1, 2020
Designations
MPC designation	2020 CW
Minor planet category	Apollo (NEO)[2][4]
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 59000.0 MJD
Aphelion	1.743 AU
Perihelion	0.424 AU
Eccentricity	0.609
Orbital period	412.1 days
Inclination	5.9°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter	3.5 feet (1.1 m)[2]
Absolute magnitude (H)	32.6[2]

The asteroid was discovered February 1, 2020 using the Mount Lemmon Survey telescope in the Santa Catalina Mountains northeast of Tucson, Arizona.[2] The next encounter closer than the Moon is predicted to occur February 5, 2029 at a distance of 11,830 miles (19,040 km) or more.[3]

References

1. Mack, Eric (February 4, 2020). "Adorable asteroid 2020 CW makes one of the closest passes by Earth ever seen". CNET. It was a harmless flyby for the record books.
2. "ESA space situational awareness 2020CW". European Space Agency. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
3. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser (2020 CW)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
4. "IAU Minor Planet Center 2020 CW". International Astronomical Union. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
5. "NEO Earth Close Approaches". Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). Retrieved July 29, 2020. Table Settings: All available data, Nominal dist. <= 1LD, no H limit, sort by CA Distance Nominal