AI-enhanced Citizen Science Discovery of an Active Asteroid: (410590) 2008 GB140

Abstract

Abstract We report the discovery of cometary activity emanating from Main-belt asteroid 410590 (2008 GB140), a finding facilitated, for the first time, by an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant. The assistant, TailNet, is a prototype we designed to enhance volunteer efforts of our Citizen Science project Active Asteroids, a NASA Partner program hosted on the Zooniverse platform. Our follow-up investigation revealed eight Dark Energy Camera images showing 2008 GB140 with a tail spanning UT 2023 April 23–UT 2023 July 3, when the object was inbound to perihelion. We classify 2008 GB140 as an active asteroid and a candidate Main-belt comet (MBC)—a main-belt asteroid that undergoes volatile sublimation-driven activity. Notably, 2008 GB140 is presently near perihelion, thus the object is a prime target for follow-up observations to further characterize its activity.