November 12 The reporter learned from the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on the 12th that the station recently discovered a near-Earth asteroid: 2020 VA1. The asteroid is currently approaching the Earth and is expected to fly by on November 20. This flyby will not pose a threat to the earth.
It is reported that this asteroid was first discovered by the Purple Mountain Observatory’s Near-Earth Object Telescope on November 6. Since then, more than a dozen astronomical observatories located in Croatia, the Czech Republic, Italy, the United Kingdom and other places have followed and observed the asteroid’s existence and preliminary orbit determination. On the 8th, the International Asteroid Center released the asteroid and gave it the temporary number 2020 VA1.
Orbit calculations show that the 2020 VA1 semi-major axis is 1.87 astronomical units (about 280 million kilometers), the eccentricity is 0.48, and the perihelion distance is 0.97 astronomical units (about 145 million kilometers). Currently, this asteroid is approaching the Earth and is expected to rendezvous with the Earth at 8:8 on November 20, Beijing time.
“During this flyby, the intersection distance between 2020 VA1 and the earth is about 4.48 million kilometers, which is equivalent to 11.7 times the distance between the earth and the moon, and will not pose a threat to the earth.” said Zhao Haibin, a researcher at the Purple Mountain Observatory.
The Purple Mountain Observatory’s Near-Earth Object Telescope is my country’s main observation equipment to join the International Asteroid Early Warning Network, and has been carrying out long-term monitoring and early warning of near-Earth asteroids.
