NOIR Lab - Fast Spinning Asteroids From the Rubin Observatory
Published: January 10, 2026
Duration: 13:08
As part of the NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory First Look event in June 2025, Rubin announced that it had observed thousands of asteroids cruising about our Solar System, about 1,900 of which have been confirmed as never-before-seen. Within the flurry, a team of astronomers has discovered 19 super- and ultra-fast-rotating asteroids. One of these is the fastest-spinning asteroid larger than 500 meters (0.3 miles) ever found. In this podcast, Dr. Sarah Greenstreet discusses these fast spinning asteroids and what makes the Rubin Observatory ideal for discovering these types of objects.
Bios:
- Rob Sparks is in the...