New Asteroid Could Be the Largest Ever Discovered

Astronomers have discovered a new asteroid that could be the largest ever found. The asteroid, named 2015 TG387, is about 570 kilometers (354 miles) in diameter, which is larger than the dwarf planet Ceres. If confirmed, 2015 TG387 would be the largest known object in the asteroid belt, and the largest object in the solar system that is not a planet.

2015 TG387 was discovered by the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawaii. The telescope is designed to search for near-Earth objects, and it has discovered many asteroids and comets over the years. 2015 TG387 was discovered on October 13, 2015, and it has been under observation ever since.

Astronomers are still learning about 2015 TG387, but they have already made some interesting discoveries. The asteroid has a very dark surface, which means that it is not very reflective. This suggests that 2015 TG387 is made of a primitive material, such as carbon or silicate. The asteroid also has a very slow rotation rate. It takes about 50 days for 2015 TG387 to complete one full rotation.

Astronomers are still not sure where 2015 TG387 came from. It is possible that the asteroid is a fragment of a larger object that was destroyed in a collision. It is also possible that 2015 TG387 is a remnant of the early solar system, when the planets were still forming. More research is needed to determine the origin of 2015 TG387.

The discovery of 2015 TG387 is a significant event. It is the largest asteroid ever discovered, and it could provide new insights into the formation and evolution of the solar system.