The newly discovered asteroid, named 2018 CN41, turned out to be a Tesla launched into space by SpaceX in 2018.

Scientists mistook Elon Musk's Tesla roadster for an asteroid in a debacle that highlights the problem of tracking near-Earth objects.

The case of mistaken identity was quickly resolved, but astronomers say it shows the need for transparency around craft in deep space.

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The Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Mass., officially registered the new space rock Jan. 2, saying it was spotted hurling through the final frontier roughly 150,000 miles from Earth, according

A supposed asteroid turned out to be a Tesla model flying through space as a PR stunt. Such mix-ups are increasingly becoming a problem.

On January 2, the Minor Planet Center announced the discovery of the unique asteroid 2018 CN41, but soon had to remove the object from the official li

Astronomers were left less than impressed when they uncovered the truth about an asteroid they'd been keeping an eye on. On January 2, scientists at the Minor Planet Center at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, announced they had discovered an unusual asteroid.

Some time ago, astronomers from Harvard University announced the discovery of a new celestial object named 2018 CN41. However, they later had to retract the statement, explaining it was actually one of Elon Musk's cars.