Fastest-Spinning Large Asteroid Discovered Using Rubin Observatory Images

Scientists analysing the first images from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory have discovered the fastest-spinning asteroid ever observed in its size category. The asteroid, named 2025 MN45, measures around 2,300 feet (710 metres) wide, making it larger than most skyscrapers on Earth.

Unprecedented Rotation Speed

• Rotation period: ~113 seconds
• Record: Fastest-spinning known asteroid larger than 500 metres (1,640 feet) in diameter
• Such rapid rotation challenges existing theories about the structural stability of large asteroids, which were previously thought unable to spin this fast without breaking apart.

Findings Published in Leading Journal

The discovery has been published in The Astrophysical Journal and represents the first peer-reviewed scientific paper based on data from the Rubin Observatory’s LSST Camera, the largest digital camera ever built.

About the LSST Mission

• The Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) will scan the Southern Hemisphere night sky for 10 years
• It will generate an unprecedented time-lapse movie of the universe, tracking changes in stars, galaxies, and small bodies like asteroids
• The study of asteroids forms a key component of the mission, helping scientists understand solar system evolution

Why Asteroids Matter

• Asteroids are remnants of the early solar system, dating back nearly 4.5 billion years
• Studying their size, spin and composition helps scientists reconstruct how planets and moons formed
• Most asteroids are located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, though fast-spinning asteroids are more commonly observed near Earth due to better visibility

Vera C. Rubin Observatory

• Location: Chile
• Telescope size: 8.4 metres
• Key feature: World’s largest digital camera
• The facility is expected to transform time-domain astronomy and significantly improve detection and characterisation of near-Earth objects.

Source: Live Science