AssetID: 55605137
Headline: Astronomers hunting for 'ninth planet' find 11,000 asteroids
Caption: BY MARK WORGAN Scientists from the NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile have identified an incredible 11,000 new asteroids. The record-breaking batch has been confirmed by the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center, and includes hundreds of distant objects beyond Neptune and 33 previously unknown near-Earth asteroids. The observatory, jointly operated by NSF NOIRLab and the US Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, gathered the data during early optimisation surveys, offering what researchers describe as a preview of its future impact on Solar System science. The submission includes around one million observations collected over six weeks. These cover both newly detected asteroids and more than 80,000 already known objects, including some previously “lost” due to uncertain orbital paths. “This first large submission after Rubin First Look is just the tip of the iceberg and shows that the observatory is ready,” says Mario Juric, faculty at the University of Washington and Rubin Solar System Lead Scientist. “What used to take years or decades to discover, Rubin will unearth in months. We are beginning to deliver on Rubin’s promise to fundamentally reshape our inventory of the Solar System and open the door to discoveries we haven’t yet imagined.” Among the newly identified objects are 33 near-Earth objects (NEOs), small asteroids and comets whose orbits bring them relatively close to the Sun. Scientists say none of these pose a threat to Earth, with the largest measuring about 500 metres across. Objects larger than 140 metres are closely monitored due to their potential to cause significant regional damage in the event of an impact. Researchers estimate that only around 40% of such mid-sized NEOs have been identified so far. Once fully operational, the observatory is expected to detect nearly 90,000 additional NEOs, potentially doubling the number of known objects larger than 140 metres. The point of the exercise is more than academic. Scientists say knowledge of the newly found asteroids will significantly enhance efforts in planetary defence through early detection and continuous monitoring. The dataset also includes approximately 380 trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs), icy bodies orbiting beyond Neptune. Two of these — provisionally named 2025 LS2 and 2025 MX348 — follow highly elongated orbits that take them to distances up to 1,000 times farther from the Sun than the Earth. Researchers say such objects could provide insights into the early movement of planets and the possible existence of an undiscovered ninth planet. The discoveries were made possible by the observatory’s large mirror, powerful digital camera, and advanced software designed to detect faint, fast-moving objects. “Rubin’s unique observing cadence required a whole new software architecture for asteroid discovery,” says Ari Heinze, University of Washington, who, together with Jacob Kurlander, built the detection software. “We built it, and it works. Even with just early, engineering-quality data, Rubin discovered 11,000 asteroids and measured more precise orbits for tens of thousands more. It seems pretty clear this observatory will revolutionise our knowledge of the asteroid belt.” The rapid increase in known trans-Neptunian objects is particularly notable. The 380 candidates identified in under two months add to roughly 5,000 discovered over the past 30 years. “Searching for a TNO is like searching for a needle in a field of haystacks — out of millions of flickering sources in the sky, teaching a computer to sift through billions of combinations and identify those that are likely to be distant worlds in our Solar System required novel algorithmic approaches,” says Matthew Holman, a senior astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. “Objects like these offer a tantalising probe of the Solar System’s outermost reaches, from telling us how the planets moved early on in the Solar System’s history, to whether a hitherto undiscovered 9th large planet may still be out there,” adds Kevin Napier, a research scientist at the same institution. The Minor Planet Center’s verification allows researchers worldwide to access the data and begin analysis immediately. Scientists say this is only the beginning. When the observatory’s decade-long Legacy Survey of Space and Time begins later this year, it is expected to discover a similar number of asteroids every two to three nights in its early phase, potentially tripling the total number of known asteroids and dramatically increasing the catalogue of distant Solar System objects.
Keywords: feature,photo,video,asteroids,space,science,planets,astronomy
PersonInImage: This animation shows the inner Solar System populated with known asteroids in dark blue and asteroids discovered by Rubin in light teal.
As the discovered objects appear, their locations are shown at the time of each object's discovery. Over the course of the 1.6 years that the animation spans, the newly discovered asteroids disperse.
A total of 12, 700 asteroids discovered with Rubin are shown here during the 1.6 years of observation. The discoveries come in three bursts: 73 were discovered during the first early test observations using Rubin’s Commissioning Camera in late 2024 and released as part of Rubin’s Data Preview 1 in Summer 2025. 1514 were discovered during First Look observations in April and May 2025, and the recent 11, 000+ asteroids were discovered in Rubin’s early optimization surveys in Summer 2025.
Note that the number of asteroid discoveries may decrease with time as some may get connected to earlier observations by the IAU Minor Planet Center, and hence reclassified as “recovered asteroids” and not discoveries.