2020 BX

Very small Apollo-class Asteroid

Near-Earth Potentially Hazardous
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Key Facts

Overview

2020 BX is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2020 BX as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.

2020 BX orbits the sun every 648 days (1.77 years), coming as close as 0.87 AU and reaching as far as 2.07 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2020 BX is probably between 0.106 to 0.237 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a basketball court.

No Close Approaches

2020 BX's orbit is 0.04 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.

Orbital simulations conducted by NASA JPL's CNEOS do not show any close approaches to Earth.

Images and Observations

2020 BX's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 17, 2020. It was last officially observed on Jan. 20, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 22 observations used to determine its orbit.

Accessibility and Exploration

This asteroid is not considered a viable target for human exploration by the NHATS study.

Similar Objects

These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2020 BX:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2458866.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 1.466 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.4088
  • Inclination: 20.95°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 92.59°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 130.76°
  • Mean Anomaly: 308.32°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~0.137 km
  • Magnitude: 22.0

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 648 days (1.77 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.61 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 2.07 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 0.87 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 2020 BX is indicated by a ◯ pink circle. Note that the object may not be in your current field of view. Use the controls below to adjust position, location, and time.

Size Rendering

The below comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2020 BX to create an approximate landscape rendering with New York City in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.