Astronomers were unaware of the existence of asteroid 2020 JJ , as it was discovered using the Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona just as it reached its closest point to Earth .
It was this week, and that point of proximity was really very rushed: "only" 7,000 kilometers , that is, it is already the sixth closest approach ever recorded according to a NASA database of close approaches by asteroids and other "near-Earth objects" since 1900.
2020 JJ
Asteroid 2020 JJ is estimated to be between 2.7 and 6 meters wide. I mean, it was the size of a van. If it had actually hit Earth, most of it probably would have burned up in the atmosphere .
A possible impact of a rock of this size against the Earth would not have caused the effects that would have caused the dreaded asteroid (52768) 1998 OR2 that transited near the blue planet on April 29.
It was not a threat to the planet, but it was flying closer than many of the satellites that orbit our planet and could have collided with one .
Nearby asteroid passes like this aren’t really something worth worrying about, but it’s always important to keep an eye on what’s going on near our planet.