Astronomers discover 2nd-fastest asteroid zipping around the Sun
Astronomers just spotted a huge new asteroid, 2025 SC79, about 700 meters wide and zipping around the Sun every 128 days.
It's now the second-fastest known asteroid and stays entirely inside Venus's orbit, even crossing Mercury's path.
The new asteroid was hiding near the Sun
Catching 2025 SC79 wasn't easy—it hides out close to the Sun, where glare makes asteroids tough to spot.
The team used special twilight observations with powerful telescopes to confirm what they'd found.
It's a reminder that some of the fastest space rocks can be hiding right in plain sight.
Scientists are excited to study this fast space rock
Right now, the asteroid is behind the Sun from Earth's view, so we'll have to wait a few months for another look.
Scientists are eager to track its orbit and learn what it's made of.
Finding asteroids like this helps us get better at spotting potential threats and teaches us more about how our Solar System works.