The car, launched in 2018 on a SpaceX rocket’s upper stage, is one of many human-made objects in deep space that could potentially be mistaken for natural celestial bodies

What appeared to be an asteroid in close proximity to Earth turned out to be a Tesla launched by SpaceX in 2018, reports said.

Less than 24 hours after the Minor Planet Center announced a new asteroid, it said the object was actually Musk's electric car launched into space as payload on a rocket.

However, the Minor Planet Center (MPC), the agency responsible for cataloging asteroids, quickly retracted the classification after determining that the object was actually Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster, which was sent into space aboard SpaceX’s inaugural Falcon Heavy flight.

The “asteroid” wasn’t a space rock after all. It was a cherry-red Tesla Roadster that Elon Musk launched into space to much fanfare in 2018 as part of a publicity stunt during the maiden flight of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket. The car, complete with a mannequin named “Starman” in the driver’s seat, had been orbiting the Sun ever since.

In 2018, it was a big deal that Elon Musk launched his personal Tesla Roadster into space. Behind the wheel is “Starman,” a mannequin dressed as an astronaut made to look like he’s driving the EV around our planet. The Roadster and Starman are still out there, with no clear destination or return-to-Earth date.

Major astronomy body the Minor Planet Centre (MPC) was forced to list the discovery - made by a citizen scientist - as "omitted" following a case of mistaken identity

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

Newly discovered ‘asteroid’ near Earth turns out to be Elon Musk’s car - Cherry-red Tesla Roadster was launched in 2018 during SpaceX Falcon Heavy’s inaugural flight