Rare interstellar comet spotted zooming through our solar system, only the 3rd ever seen

A mysterious visitor from another star system is currently flying through our cosmic neighborhood, and scientists are keeping a close eye on it. The recently discovered comet is unlike anything we have seen before.

The first detection of 3I/ATLAS was made on July 1 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS. According to a statement from the National Science Foundation (NSF) NOIRLab, which runs the International Gemini Observatory, it is only the third known interstellar object, indicating it didn't originate in our solar system, as per a report by Space.

While traveling toward the inner solar system, the interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS was spotted by astronomers in a stunning new image.


Only three interstellar objects have been found to reach our solar system, after 1I'Oumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019.

How close will it get to Earth and the Sun?

The newly discovered comet was photographed by the Gemini North telescope in Hawai‘i as it passed through our cosmic neighborhood, some 290 million miles (465 million kilometers) away from Earth.

The Gemini North telescope captured this massive 12-mile-wide comet, providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study material from beyond our star.

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On October 30, 3I/ATLAS will cross within 130 million miles (210 million km), or barely inside the orbit of Mars, of the sun. No threat to Earth will come from 3I/ATLAS, which will pass within 170 million miles (270 million km) of Earth in December.

"This interstellar wanderer has been critically characterized early thanks to the International Gemini Observatory's sensitivity and scheduling agility," said Martin Still, NSF program director for the International Gemini Observatory.

"We look forward to a bounty of new data and insights as this object warms itself on sunlight before continuing its cold, dark journey between the stars."

What makes 3I/ATLAS different from other comets?

The relics of distant star systems that have been blasted into space are known as interstellar objects, such as 3I/ATLAS.

According to the statement, they provide important information about the components that were present when and where other planetary systems in the universe formed, including their chemical composition, as per a report by Space.

Although it is thought that other objects of this kind frequently go through our solar system, they are very challenging to photograph.

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However, 3I/ATLAS is a better target for research because it is significantly larger than earlier interstellar objects, with an estimated diameter of 12 miles (20 km). The comet has a compact coma, which is the cloud of gas and dust around its icy core, according to the latest photos taken by the Gemini North observatory.

According to other observations, it might be the oldest comet ever found, possibly older than our solar system and it originates from the Milky Way's outer thick disk.

Why are scientists racing to study it now?

This will be 3I/ATLAS's only visit to our solar system because of its extremely eccentric orbit, which prevents it from making a full orbit around the sun. Therefore, during the comet's brief visit before it departs for interstellar space, astronomers from all over the world are observing it with a variety of telescopes.

FAQs

Why is 3I/ATLAS such a big deal?
It's only the third interstellar object ever discovered, and it's the largest by far.

Will it return or hit Earth?
No. It will pass by safely and not return; it is a one-time visitor.