An amateur astronomer recently mistook a Tesla Roadster for a newly discovered asteroid while studying the Minor Planet Center’s archive. The car, launched into space as part of a publicity stunt by SpaceX in 2018, was initially labeled as an asteroid named 2018 CN41. However, the mistake was quickly corrected, and it was revealed that the object was actually the cherry-red Tesla Roadster along with the Falcon Heavy rocket’s upper stage.
The launch of the Tesla Roadster garnered significant attention due to its unique payload and the inclusion of a mannequin named Starman wearing a white spacesuit. The Roadster has since been cruising through deep space, and reports of such artificial objects in space have posed challenges for astronomers tracking potentially hazardous asteroids.
The incident highlights the need for better systems to detect and filter out artificial objects from observational databases to ensure accurate tracking of space objects. The Minor Planet Center is collaborating with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab to address this issue and prevent future cases of mistaken identity in space. It serves as a reminder that the unregulated frontier of deep space could pose challenges to tracking objects and protecting Earth from potential threats.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image of the presented article.
