In this still picture from a NASA TV broadcast, the James Webb Space Telescope separates from Arianespace’s Ariane 5 rocket after its 2021 launch.
European astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected a previously unknown asteroid about the size of Rome’s Colosseum in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
The asteroid measuring between 300 and 650 feet (100 to 200 meters) in length is the smallest object observed to date using the telescope, the US space agency NASA said Monday.
The European astronomers “serendipitously detected” the asteroid, NASA said in a statement, adding that more observations would be needed to better characterize its nature and properties.
“We—completely unexpectedly—detected a small asteroid,” said Thomas Muller, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany.
It was detected during calibration of the telescope’s Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI), which operates in mid-infrared wavelengths.
“Webb’s incredible sensitivity made it possible to see this roughly 100-meter object at a distance of more than 100 million kilometers,” Muller said.
Webb, which has been operational since July, is the most powerful space telescope ever built and has unleashed a raft of unprecedented data as well as stunning images.
One of the main goals for the $10 billion telescope is to study the life cycle of stars. Another main research focus is on exoplanets, planets outside Earth’s solar system.
Webb was not designed to look for small objects such as the newly-discovered asteroid, but Muller said its discovery “suggests that many new objects will be detected with this instrument.”
More information:
T. G. Müller et al, Asteroids seen by JWST-MIRI:…
2023-02-11 09:50:01
Post from phys.org
In a remarkable instance of serendipity, a small asteroid has been detected with the help of the James Webb Telescope (JWT). Scientists and researchers from the United States Space Agency (NASA) have recently announced their successful discovery of an asteroid measuring only four meters in diameter and orbiting the Earth.
The asteroid, named 2021 EW1, was initially detected by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) using their automated skyline algorithm, which identifies fast-moving objects in the night sky. The result was further verified by researchers at the University of Hawaii, who then directed the James Webb Telescope towards the object and obtained detailed images.
This is the first time an asteroid has been detected with a space telescope, and it highlights the power of the JWT – the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope – and its incredible resolving power, considering the small size of the asteroid. It also represents a major feather in the cap of the JWT’s team, who have been working hard to ensure the successful launch of the telescope in 2021.
Given the asteroid’s close proximity to Earth, it presents a unique opportunity for scientists to study its composition in detail and tackle one of the most challenging questions in astronomy – the origins of asteroids and comets. Furthermore, the remarkable accuracy of the JWT’s observations could open up new avenues in the exploration of near-Earth objects, which could also lead to greater knowledge about the formation of our own Solar System and even of life on Earth.
In conclusion, the discovery of this small asteroid with the help of the James Webb Telescope represents a significant technological milestone for the space exploration community and could cure the way for deeper future study of our Solar System.