Astronomers have made an exciting discovery: a massive interstellar comet named 3I/ATLAS is zooming through our solar system. This remarkable event marks only the third time we’ve observed an object from outside our solar neighborhood.
3I/ATLAS was first spotted by NASA’s ATLAS telescope in Chile on a Tuesday. Following its discovery, scientists quickly began tracking its path, which dates back to June 14. Paul Chodas, who leads NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies, explained that this comet has likely been traveling for millions, if not billions, of years.
The comet, roughly the size of Manhattan, is currently located about 416 million miles from the sun, near Jupiter. It’s moving at an impressive speed of 37 miles per second and is expected to pass by Earth at a safe distance of 150 million miles in October. NASA assures us that it poses no threat to our planet.
While the comet is believed to have originated from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius, its exact source remains a mystery. As it travels through space, 3I/ATLAS displays a glowing tail and a cloud of gas and dust surrounding its nucleus, making it a stunning sight for astronomers.
Chodas noted that we have been anticipating the arrival of interstellar objects for decades, and now we are finally witnessing them. This comet is larger than the first two known interstellar visitors, Oumuamua and 21/Borisov, which were discovered in 2017 and 2019, respectively.
3I/ATLAS will be visible through telescopes until September, before it gets closer to the sun. After passing the sun, it is expected to reappear in early December. This cosmic traveler offers a unique glimpse into the universe beyond our solar system, reminding us of the vastness and mystery of space.