2020 VT1


is a small asteroid, classified as a near-Earth object of the Amor group, that is a temporary horseshoe companion to Mars.

Discovery

was discovered on 10 November 2020, by J. Bulger, K. Chambers, T. Lowe, A. Schultz, and M. Willman observing
for the survey conducted by Pan-STARRS at Haleakalā Observatory, Hawaii. As of 20 January 2021, it has been observed 28 times with an observation arc of 24 days.

Orbit and orbital evolution

is currently an Amor asteroid, a subgroup of the near-Earth objects that approach the orbit of Earth from beyond, but do not cross it. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.3–1.8 AU once every 23 months. Its orbit has a moderate eccentricity of 0.17 and an inclination of 19° with respect to the ecliptic. It is most notable for its horseshoe orbit, a complex co-orbital motion with Mars, as both bodies have similar semi-major axes. The object can also be classified as a Mars-crosser, intersecting the orbit of the Red Planet at 1.66 AU.

Mars trojan

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