Enigmatic Near-Earth Visitors

Asteroids are small space rocks that can tell us a lot about how our solar system formed and changed over time. One important way scientists study asteroids is by measuring how fast they spin. This is called their rotational period. For example, the rotation period of our planet Earth is about 24 hours, a period we know as a day. By measuring an asteroid’s rotation rate, we can learn more about its shape, surface, and even what it’s made of.

In this project, we need your help to examine images of asteroids taken by telescopes. Your task is to find images where the data might be unclear or incorrect, which helps us precisely determine how fast these asteroids spin.

Some asteroids spin extremely fast—imagine that a day on these strange worlds lasts only a few minutes or even seconds. This rapid spinning affects how they move through space. One reason for this is the Yarkovsky effect, a small but important force caused by sunlight. You can learn more about it in the research section of this project.

By joining this project, you’ll help us uncover the secrets of these unusual asteroids and contribute to real scientific discoveries.