Rubin Observatory Discovers 11,000 New Asteroids in Six Weeks

Astronomers using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile have discovered more than 11,000 previously unknown asteroids in just six weeks of early observations, marking a significant leap in mapping the solar system and bolstering planetary defense efforts.

The findings, drawn from preliminary data collected during the observatory's initial optimization phase, include nearly one million observations of the new asteroids as well as over 80,000 known ones. Some of the known asteroids had been previously observed but lost track of due to uncertain orbits. The dataset was submitted to the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center for verification, representing the largest single batch of asteroid discoveries reported in the past year. Among the highlights are 33 new near-Earth objects, small asteroids and comets whose orbits bring them within 1.3 times the Earth-Sun distance. None pose a threat to Earth, and the largest measures about 500 meters across. The observations also identified roughly 380 trans-Neptunian objects, icy bodies beyond Neptune's orbit. Two of these, provisionally named 2025 LS2 and 2025 MX348, follow extremely elongated paths, reaching points nearly...