Over the span of a year and a half, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory has identified nearly 12,700 asteroids, significantly expanding our understanding of the solar system. This achievement stems from advanced capabilities of the Simonyi Survey Telescope and sophisticated data analysis software from the University of Washington.
A portion of these findings includes approximately 33 new near-Earth objects and 380 trans-Neptunian objects. Importantly, none of the newly identified near-Earth objects pose any danger to our planet. The discoveries were officially verified by the Minor Planet Center, the authoritative source for small solar system bodies.
Previously, the observatory had reported over 1,500 asteroid finds during earlier testing phases. Astronomers, including UW's Mario Jurić, emphasized that this initial batch of discoveries is just the beginning, indicating that the observatory is poised to significantly alter our catalog of solar system objects.