Asteroid 2020 XR Makes Close Approach to Earth
Earth experienced a relatively close encounter this morning (Dec. 4) as a significant space rock, known as asteroid 2020 XR, passed by at a distance of approximately 1.4 million miles (2.2 million kilometers).
The asteroid made its closest approach at around 12:26 a.m. EST (0526 GMT), coming within just under six times the distance between Earth and the moon. This flyby occurred exactly four years after the asteroid’s discovery.
Asteroid 2020 XR has an estimated width ranging from 1,000 to 2,300 feet (300 to 700 meters), according to the European Space Agency (ESA). This size is comparable to a large stadium and poses a significant threat to Earth’s cities if it were ever to collide with our planet. Initially, after its discovery in 2020, there were concerns that the asteroid might impact Earth in 2028.
The near-Earth object (NEO) was first detected using the Pan-STARRS 2 observatory in Hawaii. Early observations of its orbit suggested a potential collision with Earth. However, further analysis of past observation data revealed previously unnoticed images of 2020 XR. This allowed astronomers to refine their calculations of the asteroid’s trajectory, ultimately determining that there is a zero-percent chance of an impact with Earth until at least the year 2120.
NASA categorizes any asteroids or comets with orbits similar in distance from the sun as Earth as NEOs. Those larger than 460 feet (140 meters) that come within 4.6 million miles (7.5 million kilometers) of Earth are classified as potentially hazardous. As of December 2024, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is keeping a close watch on more than 2,400 potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs), with 2020 XR being one of them.
