New asteroid photobombs Webb Telescope

A new asteroid about the size of the Colosseum was spotted by the James Webb Space Telescope.
A new asteroid about the size of the Colosseum was spotted by the James Webb Space Telescope.(N. Bartmann (ESA/Webb), ESO/M. Kornmesser and S. Brunier, N. Risinger)
Published: Feb. 8, 2023 at 12:57 PM CST
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(CNN) – The James Webb Space Telescope observed its smallest cosmic object to date, an asteroid about the size of the Colosseum in Rome.

The detection of the asteroid was made by chance when the Webb research team focused the telescope on another asteroid.

The asteroid is between 300 and 600 feet long and located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

The asteroid may be one of the smallest ever found in the main belt.

Astronomers will continue to observe to learn more about the asteroid and confirm it is truly a newly discovered object.