Astronomers Discover Fastest-Spinning Asteroid Of Its Size

In the vast expanse of the Solar System, a small, yet remarkable asteroid has been discovered, captivating the attention of astronomers worldwide. Designated as 2025 MN45, this mini-planet has been identified as the fastest-spinning asteroid of its size to date, thanks to the keen eyes of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. Measuring 710 meters in length, or roughly twice the height of the Eiffel Tower, 2025 MN45 completes a rotation on its axis in a mere 1. 88 minutes.

This extraordinary feat is all the more impressive considering the asteroid’s composition: a “rubble pile” of smaller rocks held together by gravity, making it vulnerable to fragmentation. The discovery was made possible by the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) Camera, the largest digital camera ever built, which is part of the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory. The observatory has identified thousands of asteroids, including 19 that have been categorized as super or ultra-fast-rotating, with spin times of less than 2. 2 hours or 5 minutes, respectively. According to Sarah Greenstreet, NSF NOIRLab assistant astronomer and lead of Rubin Observatory’s Solar System Science Collaboration’s Near-Earth Objects and Interstellar Objects working ← →