Harvard Astronomers Confuse Tesla Roadster With Asteroid

Harvard astronomers mistakenly identified Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster as a new near-Earth asteroid, raising concerns about space tracking accuracy and potential implications for future space missions.

At a Glance

  • Harvard-affiliated astronomers mistook Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster for a new asteroid
  • The incident highlights challenges in distinguishing between space debris and celestial objects
  • Collaboration between professional and amateur astronomers quickly resolved the error
  • The mix-up underscores the need for improved tracking of artificial objects in deep space
  • Experts warn of potential costly mistakes in future space exploration due to such errors

Mistaken Identity in the Cosmos

In a surprising turn of events, astronomers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Minor Planet Center (MPC) announced the discovery of a new near-Earth asteroid, only to retract the claim shortly after. The object, initially designated as 2018 CN41, was later identified as none other than Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster, launched into space by SpaceX in 2018 as part of a publicity stunt.

The confusion arose when the car’s orbit brought it closer to Earth than the moon, leading astronomers to mistake it for a potential near-Earth asteroid. The MPC’s routine checks for artificial objects failed to identify the Roadster due to its solar orbit, a factor not typically associated with man-made space debris.

Collaborative Efforts Unveil the Truth

The misidentification was swiftly corrected through the combined efforts of professional and amateur astronomers. H. A. Güler, an amateur astronomer, played a crucial role in the initial identification of the object as a potential near-Earth asteroid.

“I was ecstatic and submitted the identification,” Güler said.

Implications for Space Tracking and Exploration

The incident has raised concerns about the challenges of tracking artificial objects in deep space and the potential consequences of misidentification. Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist, expressed worries about the implications for future space missions.

“Worst case, you spend a billion launching a space probe to study an asteroid and only realize it’s not an asteroid when you get there,” McDowell said.

Moving Forward: Improving Space Debris Tracking

In response to this incident and similar past occurrences, the Minor Planet Center is collaborating with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to enhance detection and filtering methods for artificial objects in space. The growing number of untracked objects in orbit presents a challenge that astronomers are keen to address.

“If left unchecked, astronomers say the growing number of untracked objects could hinder efforts to protect Earth from potentially hazardous asteroids,” Astronomy reported.

As space exploration continues to advance, the need for accurate tracking and identification of both natural and artificial objects becomes increasingly crucial.