Astronomy:2020 LD

Short description: Near-Earth asteroid

2020 LD

Orbital diagram of 2020 LD. It crosses the orbit of all four inner planets of the Solar System.
Discovery
Discovered by	ATLAS–MLO (T08)
Discovery date	7 June 2020
Designations
MPC designation	2020 LD
Minor planet category	NEO · Apollo
Orbital characteristics
Epoch 2020-Jun-09 (JD 2459009.5)
Uncertainty parameter 8
Observation arc	11 days
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}	2.20 AU
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}	0.242
Semi-major axis	1.22 AU
Eccentricity	0.801
Orbital period	1.35 yr
Mean anomaly	35.5°
Inclination	3.44°
Longitude of ascending node	73.25°
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}	46.33°
Earth MOID	0.0017 AU (250 thousand km)
Mercury MOID	0.00139 AU (208 thousand km)
Venus MOID	0.00148 AU (221 thousand km)
Mars MOID	0.00336 AU (503 thousand km)
Jupiter MOID	2.92 AU (437 million km)
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter	89–200 m (CNEOS) ~140 m (460 ft)
Absolute magnitude (H)	22.4±0.2

2020 LD is an Apollo near-Earth asteroid roughly 140 meters (460 feet) in diameter. It was discovered on 7 June 2020 when the asteroid was about 0.03 astronomical unit|AU (4.5 million km; 12 LD) from Earth and had a solar elongation of 154 degrees. The glare of the Sun had masked the approach of the asteroid since November 2019. The asteroid passed closest approach to Earth on 5 June 2020 at a distance of 0.002 astronomical unit|AU (300 thousand km; 0.78 LD). The close approach distance is now known with an accuracy of roughly ± 1000 km. This is the largest asteroid to pass closer than the Moon this year and possibly the largest since (308635) 2005 YU55 in November 2011. The asteroid makes close approaches to Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. It will be brighter than apparent magnitude 24 until 18 July 2020.

With a short 6 day observation arc it was possible that the asteroid had passed 0.00008 AU (12 thousand km; 0.031 LD) from Earth in June 1918 or would pass 0.0001 AU (15 thousand km) from Venus in April 2024.

With a 11-day observation arc, the Sentry Risk Table lists a 1 in 9 million chance of impact on 7 June 2109.

(501647) 2014 SD224 is another similarly sized asteroid whose close approach will not be masked by the Sun this year.

Recent 100m asteroids passing inside lunar distance

Very few asteroids have known sizes or shapes. The albedo (how reflective the surface is) of these asteroids is often unknown and therefore only generic assumptions can be made about their sizes. A smaller more reflective asteroid can have the same absolute magnitude (H) of a larger less reflective asteroid.

Asteroids in the size range of "2020 LD" (H<24)
that passed inside 1 lunar distance from Dec 2011 – June 2020

Asteroid	Date	Earth distance	H	JPL CNEOS generic diameter (meters)
2020 LD	2020-06-05	0.00205 astronomical unit|AU (307 thousand km; 0.80 LD)	22.4	89 – 200
2019 OK	2019-07-25	0.00048 AU (72 thousand km; 0.19 LD)	23.3	58 – 130
2019 OD	2019-07-24	0.00239 AU (358 thousand km; 0.93 LD)	23.4	56 – 120
2010 WC9	2018-05-15	0.00136 AU (203 thousand km; 0.53 LD)	23.6	51 – 110
2018 GE3	2018-04-15	0.00129 AU (193 thousand km; 0.50 LD)	23.8	46 – 100
2018 AH	2018-01-02	0.00199 AU (298 thousand km; 0.77 LD)	22.5	84 – 190
2011 XC2	2011-12-03	0.00232 AU (347 thousand km; 0.90 LD)	23.2	61 – 140

See also

• 2019 OK
• 2018 AH

External links

• Biggest asteroid to pass close (and undetected) this year
• 2020 LD at NeoDyS-2, Near Earth Objects—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Obs prediction · Orbital info · MOID · Proper elements · Obs info · Close · Physical info · NEOCC
• LD 2020 LD at ESA–space situational awareness
  • LD&tab=eph Ephemerides · LD&tab=obs Observations · LD&tab=orbprop Orbit · LD&tab=physprops Physical Properties · LD&tab=summary Summary
• 2020 LD at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit diagram · Orbital elements · Physical parameters