by In addition to the fact that this is the third -famous interstellar object that has entered in our solar system: “We don’t know much”said Larry Denneau, co-principle investigator in Atlas, a telescope in Chile that discovered 3i/Atlas on July 1, 2025.
It is not exactly calming when scientists “We don’t know” say, but at least it’s honest.
Astronomers know that 3I/Atlas is a comet that is about 670 million kilometers from the sun. Based on current forecasts, it is not a danger to planet earth.
“Scientists still determine the speed and the trajectory that enable precise predictions for the future”Richard Moissl, who heads the planetary defense office of the European Space Agency, wrote in an e -mail to DW.
The next thing that comes on our planet is about 240 million kilometers away if it will fly in October to the end. This is more than 1.5 times the distance between us and the sun and about 624 times the distance between the earth and our moon. It is also believed that it is about 20 kilometers wide and is around 60 kilometers per second (impressive 134,000 miles per hour).
However, these are all relatively fundamental data-precisely the data that enabled astronomers in the teroid terrestrial Impact Last Alert System in Chile. When they saw the object on an unusual trajectory, they immediately started to pursue and measure it.
Then other astronomers that were based in telescopes in Hawaii and Australia began to monitor the progress of the object of the object and confirmed this as an interstellar comet.
“We see a start of [normal] Comentary Activity “wrote Moissl.
Do you open questions about Comet 3i/Atlas?
Comet 3i/Atlas flew through the heliosphere to enter our solar system. The heliosphle is a barrier that protects us against interstellar winds and radiation.
However, the heliosphle is an imperfect barrier – interstellar radiation comes through and it clearly stops non -icy intergalactic hikers like 3i/Atlas.
However, interstellar objects in our solar system are considered quite rare. The first known interstellar object was 1i/’Oumuamua, which was detected in 2017 and 2i/Borisov, 2019.
“This is only the third interstellar [object] Always recognizable, so a precise prognosis of the expected frequency is not possible at this time “wrote Moissl.
But telescopes have progressed technologically and scientists now continuously scan the night sky. So we can see more of them.
“The legacy survey in space and time in Vera Rubins Telescope in Chile is online this year. It is more efficient than existing surveys and expects several new interstellar objects in the next 10 years”said Moissl’s colleague at ESA, Michael Kueppers.
Kuppers is a COMET Interceptor projector. Comet Interceptor is a spaceship that is in one “Parking railway” Rest and removed comets and asteroids are intercepted when they come too close to the earth. It is planned to start in 2029.
Where did Comet 3i/Atlas come from?
The short (and obvious) answer is that comets such as 3i/Atlas, 1i/’Oumuamua and 2i/Borisov come from other planetary systems.
Similar to comets and asteroids in our solar system, interstellar objects are considered untouched specimens from elsewhere in our galaxy, the Milky Way, if not from the beginning of the universe.
Moissl said this new object was “About from the direction of the Galactic Center region”what, as the name suggests, lies in the middle of the Milky Way. But astronomers know its exact origin or “Homemade” not.
Based on its brightness, 3i/Atlas seems to be larger than the other two stray comets – 1i/oumuamua and 2i/Borisov – that is believed to have entered our solar system from another region of the Milky Way.
Astronomers will continue to want to monitor 3i/Atlas to evaluate its composition and behavior. ESA said that it can warm up as an active comet if it comes closer to the earth, and “sublimate” – Then frozen gases become steam on a comet and create a shining coma and a trace of dust and ice particles.
You should be able to see it from the earth with a telescope until September-but “You need a large telescope to see it”Jonathan McDowell from Harvard-Smithsonian Center wrote for astrophysics in an email to DW.
When it is closest to the earth, it is hidden by the sun, but will reappear until early December.
Published by: Fred Schwaller
