Total space cadets! Harvard University-affiliated astronomers announced the discovery of a new asteroid zooming precariously close to Earth — only to learn it was actually a Tesla sports car launched by Elon Musk as a publicity stunt seven years ago,

The asteroid is about 33 feet (10 meters) across and poses no danger to Earth. It joins another known lunar asteroid discovered in 2016 known as 469219 Kamo’oalewa. Scientists hope that as telescopes become more powerful, we will be able to detect more bits of the Moon that have been blasted free in ancient impacts.

A near-Earth object was likely ejected into space after an impact thousands of years ago. Now it could contribute new insights to asteroid and lunar science.

Earth's temporary asteroid friend last year was a chunk of its real moon that had been blasted into space thousands of years ago, scientists find.