2020 VW
2020 VW
Current distance from Earth
288,783,595km
751.3 lunar distances1.930 AU
Heliocentric orbit · top-down · live
Next close approach
2037-Nov-05
Passes 16.8 lunar distances from Earth — about 6,476,961 km, closing at 8.5 km/s.
Long-term impact monitoring
2020 VW is tracked on the long-term monitoring list — here’s what the numbers actually mean.
Torino scale
0 — No hazard
Cumulative impact chance
1 in 142
0.703% across all dates
Palermo scale
-3.81
below background risk
Possible dates tracked
12
between 2074 and 2079
A Torino rating of 0 means no cause for concern, and a Palermo value of -3.81 — below zero — means the chance is lower than the background risk of a similar random impact over the same period. The headline figure is a cumulative probability spread across 12 possible dates between 2074 and 2079, so the chance on any one date is far smaller still. No impact is predicted, and objects are routinely removed from monitoring as their orbits are refined — both Apophis and 2024 YR4 were.
Orbit class
ATE
around the Sun
Orbital period
0.77 yr
282 days
Diameter
8 m
about the size of a house
Eccentricity
0.347
orbit shape
Inclination
3.0°
to the ecliptic
Discovered
—
Size in perspective
73%2020 VW is about 73% the size of a double-decker bus.
Observe it tonight
Apparent brightness
mag 83.3
Too faint to observe
Right ascension
9h 24m
Declination
+13° 47′
From your location
tap to check ›
2020 VW is currently faint (magnitude 83.3) — it brightens around close approaches. Position is in equatorial coordinates (J2000); pair it with our sky conditions to plan a session.
Frequently asked questions
How close does 2020 VW come to Earth?
Its next notable close approach is on 2037-Nov-05, when it passes about 16.8 lunar distances from Earth — roughly 6,476,961 km. 2020 VW is currently about 751 lunar distances away — the live orbit and distance are shown above.
Is 2020 VW going to hit Earth?
No impact is predicted. 2020 VW is tracked on the long-term impact-monitoring list with a cumulative chance of roughly 1 in 142, spread across 12 possible dates between 2074 and 2079 — a very low probability. Its Torino rating is 0 (no hazard), and its Palermo value of -3.81 sits below the background level. Objects are removed from monitoring as their orbits are refined. The full impact-monitoring breakdown is shown above.
How big is 2020 VW?
2020 VW is estimated at about 8 m across — about the size of a house. Size estimates are derived from how bright the asteroid appears and refined by radar and thermal measurements when it passes close to Earth.
What kind of orbit does 2020 VW have?
2020 VW is ATE object. It orbits the Sun once every 0.77 years, on an elliptical path that spends much of its time inside Earth’s orbit. The interactive orbit diagram above shows where it is right now.
Can I see 2020 VW through a telescope?
Most of the time 2020 VW is far too faint to see, but during a close approach it can brighten enough for amateur telescopes. Check the close-approach date above, then plan your night with our sky and space-weather tools.
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