A member of the International Astronomical Centre in Abu Dhabi has discovered a new asteroid within the solar system’s asteroid belt. The discovery was announced by Khalfan bin Sultan Al Nuaimi, President of the Centre, who noted that the asteroid was identified through the analysis of images provided by a NASA-supported program. According to a WAM report, this collaborative effort included international partners such as Hardin-Simmons University in Texas, the Pan-STARRS telescope, and the Catalina Sky Survey project.
The asteroid, temporarily designated as ‘2022 UY56’, was discovered by Mohammad Shawkat Odeh, Director of the centre, while he was examining images captured by the Pan-STARRS 2 telescope at the Haleakala Observatory. Odeh has since been issued an initial discovery certificate for his findings. The asteroid will retain its temporary name until further observations confirm its precise orbit, after which it will be officially named by the International Astronomical Union.