Astronomers have spotted an asteroid the size of nearly eight football fields, with the help of the largest digital camera in the world and a new space observatory. Asteroid 2025 MN45 measures about a half mile in diameter and is the fastest spinning asteroid of its size ever recorded. Spin speed mattersTo spot this asteroid, the team used the cutting-edge Vera C. Rubin Observatory. An asteroid spinning quickly—like 2025 MN45—may have sped up because of a past collision with another asteroid. Lightcurves can help scientists determine an asteroid’s rotation period (the total time it takes to complete one rotation), size, shape, and surface properties.