In early January, an amateur astronomer in Turkey believed he had discovered a new asteroid , and the Minor Planet Center (MPC) dubbed the find 2018 CN41 . However, the “asteroid” turned out to be the red Tesla Roadster that Elon Musk sent into space in 2018 aboard SpaceX ‘s Falcon Heavy .
It wasn’t an asteroid, it was the Tesla Roadster orbiting in space
2018 CN41 was announced on January 2, 2025 after being identified in public data. Its proximity to Earth, orbiting at less than 240,000 km, sparked the interest of the astronomical community. However, in just 17 hours the MPC withdrew the registration after determining that it was an artificial object.
[post_relacionado]According to Interesting Engineering , Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, quickly identified the true nature of the object. It was not an asteroid, but Elon Musk ‘s sports car, which was traveling with a “Starman” mannequin at the wheel.
The error highlights the challenges astronomy faces in distinguishing between natural and man-made objects. Peter Veres, an astronomer at the MPC, noted that the growing number of satellites and space debris in the cosmos complicates observations. McDowell also warned that these false positives could affect monitoring of potentially dangerous asteroids.
Starman: A space traveler without direction
The Tesla Roadster was sent into space as part of the Falcon Heavy test payload. Instead of using a concrete block, Musk opted for his own car, which is now following a stable solar orbit that could last for millions of years, according to NASA data.
For those who want to follow the rover’s trajectory, the Whereisroadster site provides up-to-date information on its location in the solar system . Meanwhile, the astronomical community faces the ongoing challenge of differentiating between real asteroids and artificial objects in the vastness of space.
Watch the video below to relive the launch of the Tesla Roadster into space.
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Source: MPC
Photo: Space X