Astronomers Move Fast After Finding Nearby Asteroid, Then Realize It’s a Red Sports Car
A recent event sparked excitement among scientists at the Minor Planet Center when they identified a mysterious object in orbit around Earth, initially believed to be an asteroid. Named “2018 CN41,” this near-Earth object was found to be within 150,000 miles of our planet,raising concerns about its potential to enter the atmosphere. However, less than a day later, they clarified that their initial designation was incorrect. It turned out that what they had identified was not an asteroid but Elon Musk’s cherry-red Tesla Roadster, launched into space on February 6, 2018, as part of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket test. The Roadster, equipped with a mannequin astronaut named “Starman,” is currently in an elliptical orbit around the sun adn heading towards Mars. Musk noted that the Roadster could remain in deep space for about one billion years, assuming it doesn’t explode during ascent. The car can be tracked live online,adding an intriguing twist to its space journey.
A strange “asteroid” orbiting the Earth even closer than the moon sent scientists at the Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, scrambling.
The institution, which is based at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, announced the unusual find on Jan. 2, after a citizen scientist discovered the anomalous object.
They named it “2018 CN41,” according to Astronomy.com.
Closer than 150,000 miles to our planet, the “rock” was deemed a near-Earth object needing careful watch, considering its potential to one day enter the atmosphere.
But less than a day later, the scientists would be palming their faces as they published an editorial update clarifying what all the fuss was apparently about.
“The designation 2018 CN41 is being deleted and will be listed as omitted.,” the Minor Planet Center wrote.
It turned out, the “asteroid” was really no asteroid at all, but a cherry-red convertible.
Specifically, Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster, which he launched into orbit on Feb. 6, 2018.
Newly discovered asteroid spotted around 150,000 miles from earth turns out to be Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster, launched in to Space in 2018 as payload on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket test flight. pic.twitter.com/RGlIz13Aac
— Moshe (@MosheDe_) January 27, 2025
SpaceX launched the vehicle as a payload aboard the Falcon Heavy, an unprecedented 27-engine rocket designed for deep space travel, according to NBC News.
The driver of the sports car? A mannequin astronaut named “Starman,” and with a top speed of 7 miles per second, he gets around.
Starman is currently in an elliptical orbit around the sun and is headed for Mars, according to Forbes.
But he’s got a long way to go.
“If all goes well, the Roadster will be in deep space for a billion years or so, if it doesn’t blow up on ascent,” Musk said prior to the 2018 launch, according to Forbes.
Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster is currently 1.64 AU from the Sun, 2.57 AU from Earth, and 3.16 AU from Mars. For more information, see https://t.co/lHXGKw1CP9 pic.twitter.com/f5hnKFb0as
— Ben Pearson- Roadster Tracker (@whereisroadster) January 30, 2025
Musk’s roadster can be tracked live at whereisroadster.com.
“Just bear in mind that there is a good chance this monster rocket blows up, so I wouldn’t put anything of irreplaceable sentimental value on it,” Musk told SyFy in 2017, prior to the rocket’s launch.
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