Astronomers have found that there is a new ‘interstellar object’ zooming across our solar system and moving in the direction of Earth. This is only the third time an object from outside our solar system has been found passing close by.
NASA, the United States space agency, has confirmed the object dubbed 3I/ATLAS and indicated that it’s moving at a staggering rate of more than 60 kilometres per second towards the Sun. The agency believes it will leave the solar system about four months after it makes its closest approach to the Sun.
First Detected by ATLAS in June
Originally designated A11pl3Z, the object was initially discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) between June 25 and June 29. The system employs telescopes in Hawaii and South Africa, reports Live Science.
Later, scientists established that it came from outside of our solar system, formally designating it as an ‘interstellar’ object.
From Another Star System
The word interstellar means it originated from deep beyond the Sun’s gravitational field, probably from another star system. It’s known that this stellar visitor isn’t trapped by the orbit of the Sun and will keep traveling through the galaxy.
Scientists think 3I/ATLAS might be a comet or an asteroid. It’s estimated to be between 10 and 20 kilometres in diameter, which would make it the largest interstellar object ever discovered. But if it’s filled with ice, it may be larger than that, since ice is very reflective.
Moving at Incredible Speed
Travelling at approximately 152,000 miles per hour (245,000 km/h), it’s coming from the part of the night sky where the bar of the Milky Way can be seen.
Even though its comparatively close trajectory just beyond Mars’ orbit, there is no danger to Earth or any other planet within the solar system.
This becomes the third recorded object known to come from another star system. The first was ‘Oumuamua in 2017, which ignited a flurry of speculation but proved to be a natural rock. The second was Comet 2I/Borisov, discovered in 2019.