. ▁With ▁a ▁semi - major ▁axis ▁( aver age ▁orbit ▁distance ) ▁greater ▁than ▁ 1   AU ▁and ▁a ▁peri hel ion ▁distance ▁within ▁that ▁of ▁Earth ' s , ▁ ▁is ▁formally ▁class ified ▁under ▁the ▁Apol lo ▁group ▁of ▁near - E arth ▁astero ids . ▁ ▁The ▁astero id ' s ▁minimum ▁orb ital ▁intersection ▁distance ▁( MO ID ) ▁from ▁Earth ▁is ▁approximately ▁, ▁or ▁about ▁ 0 . 7 8 ▁lun ar ▁distances . ▁Having ▁such ▁a ▁small ▁Earth ▁MO ID , ▁ ▁is ▁considered ▁a ▁potentially ▁ha z ard ous ▁astero id ▁( P HA ) ▁by ▁the ▁Minor ▁Planet ▁Center , ▁under ▁the ▁definition ▁that ▁P H As ▁have ▁Earth ▁MO ID s ▁less ▁than ▁ 0 . 0 5   AU ▁and ▁absolute ▁magn itudes ▁under ▁ 2 2 . ▁Despite ▁this , ▁ ▁will ▁not ▁make ▁any ▁close ▁Earth ▁enc oun ters ▁within ▁ 1 5 ▁lun ar ▁distances ▁or ▁ ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁ 2 0 0 ▁years , ▁and ▁the ▁astero id ▁has ▁not ▁been ▁listed ▁by ▁the ▁J PL ▁S entry ▁R isk ▁Table ▁. ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁February ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁a ▁team ▁of ▁astronom ers ▁identified ▁ ▁in ▁several ▁prec overy ▁images ▁taken ▁by ▁the ▁Pan - ST AR RS ▁ 1 ▁survey , ▁with ▁the ▁earliest ▁images ▁d ating ▁back ▁to ▁ 5 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁The ▁observation ▁arc ▁of ▁these ▁prec overy ▁images ▁sp anned ▁over