Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 4,445,578 km of Earth in 2020
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2020 XA6 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2020 XA6 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 XA6 orbits the sun every 570 days (1.56 years), coming as close as 0.50 AU and reaching as far as 2.20 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2020 XA6 is probably between 0.040 to 0.090 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2020 XA6'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 XA6 has 2 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 12, 2020 | 4,445,578 | 21.629 |
| May 7, 2025 | 11,635,510 | 19.558 |
NASA Sentry has assessed impact risk for 6 very close approach scenarios. Here are the top scenarios ordered by probability of impact:
| Date | Probability of Impact (%) | Impact Energy (Mt) |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 11, 2073 | 0.00008 | 12.31 |
| Dec. 11, 2065 | 0.00006 | 12.14 |
| Dec. 11, 2065 | 0.00003 | 12.14 |
| Dec. 11, 2062 | 0.00001 | 12.39 |
| Dec. 11, 2065 | 0.00000 | 12.37 |
| Dec. 11, 2069 | 0.00000 | 12.46 |
Images and Observations
2020 XA6's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 13, 2020. It was last officially observed on Dec. 22, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 92 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 XA6:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2459199.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.346 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6309
- Inclination: 6.77°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 79.64°
- Argument of Periapsis: 252.97°
- Mean Anomaly: 34.29°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.052 km
- Magnitude: 24.11
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 570 days (1.56 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 25.69 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.20 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.50 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2020 XA6 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 XA6 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.
