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Newly Discovered Asteroid: Second-Fastest in Orbit Around Venus

10/23/2025

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Summary

Sheppard Discovers Asteroid

Astronomer Scott Sheppard discovered asteroid 2025 SC79 on September 27, 2025.
The object is about 2,300 feet wide and orbits mostly inside Venus's path.
Its 128-day orbit makes it the second-fastest asteroid in this category.
It will be out of sight for months behind the Sun as researchers plan future observations of twilight asteroids.

Summary

Loeb Questions Comet

Observations show interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS undergoing a tail reversal, with its tail pointing away from the Sun as it nears perihelion.
NASA has added 3I/ATLAS to the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) list of monitored threats.
Harvard's Avi Loeb speculates the object could be a spacecraft, citing its unusual size and composition.
Other scientists say it is a natural comet and call for further observations to clarify its nature.

History

Historical Context

NASA established the Near Earth Object Program in 1996 to monitor potentially hazardous asteroids. Since then, it has identified over 25,000 near-Earth objects, emphasizing the need for planetary defense. The discovery of asteroid 2025 SC79, measuring about 2,300 feet, and the observation of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS underscore the ongoing efforts to understand celestial threats and their trajectories.

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Sheppard Discovers Asteroid

Astronomer Scott Sheppard discovered asteroid 2025 SC79 on September 27, 2025.
The object is about 2,300 feet wide and orbits mostly inside Venus's path.
Its 128-day orbit makes it the second-fastest asteroid in this category.
It will be out of sight for months behind the Sun as researchers plan future observations of twilight asteroids.

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