Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS: Third Visitor from Beyond Our Solar System
A newly identified interstellar comet, named 3I/ATLAS, is the third confirmed object to pass through our solar system from beyond. Discovered by astronomers, this comet poses no threat to Earth and will pass by at a safe distance. Ground-based observatories will have a rare opportunity to study this celestial tourist in the coming months.
A newly identified comet, dubbed 3I/ATLAS, is the third confirmed interstellar visitor to pass through our solar system. The comet, currently about 420 million miles away, poses no threat to Earth as it speeds by. It was first spotted by the ATLAS telescope in Chile and confirmed by data from other telescopes worldwide. NASA expects the comet to swing closest to the sun on Oct. 30, passing just inside the orbit of Mars. Ground-based observatories will be able to observe the comet through September before it becomes too close to the sun. The comet is expected to be visible again in early December.
Studying interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS provides a rare opportunity for astronomers to learn more about celestial visitors from beyond our solar system. The first confirmed interstellar object, Oumuamua, was discovered in 2017, followed by the comet 21/Borisov in 2019.
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