Astronomical Mistake

Sometimes, mistakes in telescope observations can lead to accidental discoveries.
That's what happened recently when scientists tried to use the new James Webb Space Telescope — an observatory run by NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency — to look at a known space rock in the main asteroid belt. Instead, they found a new asteroid, thought to be the smallest object Webb has detected so far.
"Our results show that even 'failed' Webb observations can be scientifically useful, if you have the right mindset and a little bit of luck," said Thomas Müller, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany, in a statement.
The finding demonstrates the telescope's exceptional sensitivity at seeing the cosmos at infrared wavelengths. The researchers were able to spot the tiny 300 to 650-foot photobomber — about the size of a flying football field — from more than 72 million miles away. If the asteroid is confirmed, it could mean the telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument will be a handy tool for astronomers to hunt for other small asteroids in the future, something it wasn't specifically designed to do.
The results were published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics this week, and they will likely lead to future dedicated studies using the telescope to observe asteroids less than a half-mile wide.
But when NASA helped break the news of the discovery Monday, some people were confused and disappointed that the agency didn't showcase a photo of the asteroid itself, rather than an illustration.
A mistake on the Webb telescope just led to a surprising discovery