Overview

• A peer-reviewed Nature Communications study using multiple telescopes, including ESO’s Very Large Telescope, revised the asteroid’s size and spin.
• The object is roughly comparable in size to the spacecraft, complicating any planned touch-and-go or landing attempt.
• Observations suggest a bright surface and a likely solid boulder composition, though a loose rubble pile cannot be ruled out.
• Earlier estimates of about 30 meters and a roughly 10-minute rotation have been replaced by the new ~11-meter diameter and ~5-minute period.
• Researchers say the methods show that even very small near-Earth objects can be characterized from Earth, informing mission design and hazard assessment.