Key Facts

  • Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
  • Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
  • Will pass within 64,520 km of Earth in 2020
  • Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
  • Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
  • See orbit simulation

Overview

2020 CQ1 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2020 CQ1 as a "Near Earth Asteroid" due to its orbit's proximity to Earth, but it is not considered potentially hazardous because computer simulations have not indicated any imminent likelihood of future collision.

2020 CQ1 orbits the sun every 629 days (1.72 years), coming as close as 0.98 AU and reaching as far as 1.90 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2020 CQ1 is probably between 0.003 to 0.013 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.

Close Approaches

2020 CQ1's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is very close to Earth's orbit.

2020 CQ1 has 3 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Date Distance from Earth (km) Velocity (km/s)
Feb. 4, 2020 64,520 6.065
Dec. 3, 2038 28,339,894 10.686
Feb. 22, 2051 9,388,133 6.875

NASA Sentry has assessed impact risk for 47 very close approach scenarios. Here are the top scenarios ordered by probability of impact:

Date Probability of Impact (%) Impact Energy (Mt)
Feb. 3, 2070 0.44620 0.004731
Feb. 2, 2077 0.01158 0.004735
Jan. 30, 2111 0.00051 0.004734
Feb. 3, 2119 0.00024 0.004726
Feb. 2, 2107 0.00023 0.004733
Feb. 3, 2107 0.00023 0.004735
Feb. 1, 2089 0.00018 0.00473
Feb. 3, 2100 0.00014 0.004729
Feb. 3, 2102 0.00012 0.004733
Feb. 2, 2083 0.00012 0.004735
Feb. 3, 2101 0.00010 0.004727
Feb. 2, 2101 0.00010 0.004726
Feb. 3, 2119 0.00006 0.004726
Feb. 2, 2118 0.00005 0.004733
Feb. 4, 2103 0.00005 0.004732
Feb. 2, 2089 0.00004 0.00473
Feb. 2, 2095 0.00003 0.004728
Feb. 3, 2102 0.00003 0.004735
Feb. 2, 2071 0.00003 0.00473
Feb. 4, 2122 0.00003 0.004733
Feb. 2, 2077 0.00003 0.004737
Feb. 3, 2106 0.00003 0.004725
Feb. 2, 2074 0.00002 0.004737
Feb. 3, 2112 0.00002 0.004729
Feb. 3, 2118 0.00002 0.004732
Feb. 3, 2118 0.00002 0.004733
Feb. 2, 2093 0.00001 0.004735
Feb. 2, 2083 0.00001 0.004735
Feb. 2, 2106 0.00001 0.004727
Feb. 3, 2118 0.00001 0.004733
Feb. 3, 2113 0.00001 0.004733
Feb. 3, 2106 0.00001 0.004727
Feb. 2, 2079 0.00001 0.004734
Feb. 2, 2077 0.00001 0.004731
Feb. 3, 2107 0.00001 0.004732
Feb. 3, 2118 0.00001 0.004732
Feb. 3, 2076 0.00001 0.004729
Feb. 2, 2081 0.00000 0.004727
Feb. 4, 2088 0.00000 0.004672
Feb. 2, 2077 0.00000 0.004734
Feb. 2, 2099 0.00000 0.004736
Feb. 2, 2077 0.00000 0.004727
Feb. 3, 2076 0.00000 0.004727
Feb. 3, 2100 0.00000 0.004726
Feb. 2, 2088 0.00000 0.004732
Feb. 3, 2101 0.00000 0.004736
Feb. 2, 2098 0.00000 0.004734

Images and Observations

2020 CQ1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Feb. 5, 2020. It was last officially observed on March 5, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 48 observations used to determine its orbit.

Accessibility and Exploration

2020 CQ1 can be reached with a journey of 362 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 9.742 km/s. To put this into perspective, the delta-v to launch a rocket to Low-Earth Orbit is 9.7 km/s. There are 312 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.

See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2020 CQ1.

Similar Objects

These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2020 CQ1:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 1.437 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.3214
  • Inclination: 2.8°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 134.35°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 342.79°
  • Mean Anomaly: 41.66°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~0.008 km
  • Magnitude: 28.9

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 629 days (1.72 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.85 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 1.90 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 0.98 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 2020 CQ1 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.