Astronomers Just Found a Sneaky Asteroid Near the Sun—and It Highlights a Dangerous Blind Spot

Millions of asteroids are currently zipping through our solar system. These rocky remnants of the early solar system get extra attention when their trajectories bring them very close to Earth—which, fortunately, Astronomers can usually track in advance. But what if they can’t?

This can easily be the case with so-called “twilight” asteroids, whose position behind the Sun’s glow makes it difficult for astronomers to detect and track. If that’s not unstable enough, the latest twilight asteroid—2025 SC79—is also the second-fastest ever detected, with an orbit around the Sun of just 128 days, according to Carnegie Science. release.

Hiding in plain sight?

Scott Shepard, an astronomer at Carnegie Science, first observed 2025 SC79 with the Blanco 4-meter telescope’s Dark Energy Camera in September. Follow-up observations by the Gemini and Magellan telescopes confirmed the sighting of the asteroid.

2025 SC79 measured about 2,300 feet (700 meters) in diameter—approx. Double the height of the Empire State Building. The size of the asteroid, as well as its rapid orbit around the Sun, qualifies it as a “planet killer” asteroid, which is what Shepard was searching for.

blind threat

“The most dangerous asteroids are the most difficult to detect,” Sheppard said in the release. Most asteroids enter the telescope’s detection range in the dark of night, he explained. On the other hand, asteroids hidden near the Sun can only be seen at twilight.

This poses unique challenges for astronomers like Sheppard, who are on the lookout for potential threats. Its importance is given Advance research As for asteroid flybys, twilight asteroids “can pose a serious impact hazard” when they approach Earth, Shepard warned.

To be fair, we can’t do much about the natural location of extraterrestrial objects. Still, Shepard hopes that further screening of this twilight asteroid could uncover useful information about its composition and whether it might hold any clues for finding similar objects in the future.

“Many asteroids in the Solar System reside in one of the two belts of space rocks, but the turbulence can send objects into closer orbits where they can be more challenging to spot,” Shepard said. “Understanding how they got to these locations can help us protect the planet and learn more about the history of the solar system.”