Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 6,406,409 km of Earth in 2020
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2020 NC is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2020 NC 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 NC orbits the sun every 274 days (0.75 years), coming as close as 0.59 AU and reaching as far as 1.07 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2020 NC is probably between 0.065 to 0.289 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2020 NC's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2020 NC has 16 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2020 | 6,406,409 | 7.968 |
| July 2, 2023 | 5,369,015 | 7.754 |
| July 1, 2026 | 8,088,316 | 8.283 |
| July 1, 2029 | 13,659,753 | 9.391 |
| July 1, 2032 | 20,581,009 | 10.808 |
| July 3, 2035 | 28,515,575 | 12.449 |
| Sept. 8, 2114 | 25,798,077 | 10.492 |
| Sept. 8, 2117 | 23,170,955 | 9.776 |
| Sept. 8, 2120 | 21,608,162 | 9.333 |
| Sept. 8, 2123 | 21,471,258 | 9.292 |
| Sept. 8, 2126 | 22,178,625 | 9.501 |
| Sept. 8, 2129 | 23,852,242 | 9.971 |
| Sept. 7, 2132 | 26,148,298 | 10.584 |
| Sept. 8, 2135 | 29,133,540 | 11.334 |
| July 5, 2194 | 29,023,899 | 12.559 |
| July 4, 2197 | 24,312,392 | 11.582 |
Images and Observations
2020 NC's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 6, 2020. It was last officially observed on July 17, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 83 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2020 NC can be reached with a journey of 354 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 10.299 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 4,590 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2020 NC.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2020 NC:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.826 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2913
- Inclination: 6.12°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 101.67°
- Argument of Periapsis: 29.62°
- Mean Anomaly: 220.02°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.177 km
- Magnitude: 22.15
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 274 days (0.75 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 32.80 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.07 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.59 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2020 NC 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 NC 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.
