An asteroid identified last month may be space junk from 1966

An “asteroid” spotted by a Hawaii telescope last month and added to the official tally of may in fact be space junk from a failed moon landing 54 years ago, scientists have concluded.

The object, known as “asteroid 2020 SO”, is heading towards our planet and will be captured by Earth’s gravity in mid-November.

It will spend about four months circling Earth, experts believe, before shooting back out into its own orbit around the sun next March.

But Nasa’s leading asteroid expert has said he now believes it it not an asteroid. He believes it is part of a rocket.