▁the ▁astero id ' s ▁characteristics ▁in ▁detail . ▁ ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁rad ar ▁target ▁observed ▁by ▁the ▁A reci bo ▁Observ atory ▁in ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁since ▁the ▁one - month ▁shut down ▁of ▁observ atory ▁operations ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁earth qu akes ▁that ▁have ▁occurred ▁in ▁the ▁southern ▁region ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁during ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁and ▁January ▁ 2 0 2 0 . ▁Rad ar ▁observations ▁of ▁ ▁were ▁conducted ▁on ▁ 4 ▁February ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁by ▁a ▁team ▁of ▁astronom ers ▁led ▁by ▁Lu isa ▁Z amb rano - Mar ín . ▁Over ▁a ▁two - day ▁observation ▁period , ▁astronom ers ▁measured ▁the ▁astero id ' s ▁size , ▁shape , ▁and ▁rotation , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁discovery ▁of ▁a ▁small ▁orbit ing ▁satellite . ▁ ▁Future ▁approaches ▁ ▁Over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁its ▁orbit ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁ 2 0 0 ▁years , ▁ ▁will ▁continue ▁to ▁pass ▁by ▁Earth , ▁though ▁it ▁will ▁not ▁make ▁any ▁approaches ▁as ▁close ▁as ▁the ▁February ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁encounter ▁that ▁would ▁otherwise ▁war rant ▁attention . ▁The ▁last ▁Earth ▁encounter ▁by ▁ ▁from ▁a ▁closer ▁distance ▁was ▁on ▁ 1 ▁February ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁when ▁the ▁astero id ▁approached ▁Earth ▁from ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁, ▁or ▁ 3 . 5 ▁lun ar ▁distances . ▁As ▁ ▁begins ▁its ▁approach ▁to ▁a ph el ion ▁after ▁its ▁peri hel ion ▁passage ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁March ▁