ne au , ▁John ▁Ton ry , ▁Ar en ▁Hein ze , ▁and ▁Henry ▁We il and , ▁who ▁were ▁chief ly ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁A TL AS ▁project . ▁The ▁astero id ▁was ▁discovered ▁during ▁its ▁approach ▁to ▁Earth , ▁and ▁was ▁at ▁nom inal ▁distance ▁of ▁about ▁ ▁from ▁the ▁planet . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁discovery , ▁ ▁was ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁const ell ation ▁of ▁Pu pp is ▁at ▁an ▁apparent ▁magnitude ▁of ▁ 1 7 . 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁discovery ▁of ▁ ▁was ▁subsequently ▁reported ▁to ▁the ▁Minor ▁Planet ▁Center ' s ▁near - E arth ▁object ▁confirm ation ▁page ▁( NE O CP ), ▁where ▁a ▁pre lim inary ▁orbit ▁was ▁calculated ▁from ▁additional ▁observations ▁conducted ▁at ▁multiple ▁observ ator ies . ▁Follow - up ▁observations ▁of ▁ ▁sp anned ▁three ▁days ▁since ▁its ▁discovery , ▁and ▁the ▁astero id ▁was ▁formally ▁announced ▁in ▁a ▁Minor ▁Planet ▁Electron ic ▁Circ ular ▁issued ▁by ▁the ▁Minor ▁Planet ▁Center ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁January ▁ 2 0 2 0 . ▁ ▁N omen cl ature ▁ ▁Upon ▁discovery , ▁the ▁astero id ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁temporary ▁internal ▁design ation ▁A 1 0 j Un f . ▁After ▁follow ▁up ▁observations ▁confirm ing ▁the ▁object , ▁it ▁was ▁then ▁given ▁the ▁prov is ional ▁design ation ▁ ▁by ▁the ▁Minor ▁Planet ▁Center ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁January ▁ 2 0 2 0 . ▁The ▁prov is ional ▁design ation ▁sign ifies ▁the ▁object ' s ▁discovery ▁date ▁and ▁year