Interstellar object found hurtling through the solar system
It is only the third time a celestial body from beyond our solar system has been observed travelling through it.
The object named 3I/ATLAS is believed to be a comet.
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India.com
14 hours ago
- India.com
Alien Spacecraft Or Cosmic Visitor? 24 KM Long Mysterious Object 3I/ATLAS Speeds Toward Earth At 135,000 MPH
Something strange is racing toward us from the vast darkness beyond our solar system, and it's moving at a jaw-dropping speed of 135,000 miles per hour. Discovered on July 1, the object, now named 3I/ATLAS, has already sparked an intense debate among scientists: Is it just a comet, or could it be an alien spacecraft? NASA and researchers across the globe are tracking this high-speed interstellar traveler, which is expected to swing by the inner solar system later this year. But not everyone agrees on what it actually is, or where it really came from. What Exactly Is 3I/ATLAS? Spotted zooming through the outer solar system earlier this month, 3I/ATLAS is only the third known interstellar object to ever enter our cosmic neighborhood, after 1I/ʻOumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019). What makes it unique? 1. It's traveling on a highly elliptical orbit, indicating it came from beyond the gravitational grip of our sun. 2. At its closest approach on October 30, it will pass 130 million miles from the sun and 150 million miles from Earth. So no, it's not a threat. But its speed, trajectory, and peculiar behavior have caught the attention of astronomers and cosmic sleuths alike. Harvard Professor Thinks It Might Not Be Natural Enter Professor Avi Loeb, a Harvard physicist and outspoken advocate of not ruling out alien tech too quickly. According to Loeb, 3I/ATLAS might not be a regular comet at all, but a possible spacecraft sent by an advanced extraterrestrial civilization. Loeb argues that if it's not made of ice (as comets are), it would be nearly impossible for it to make its current solar-bound journey naturally. He draws comparisons to Arthur C Clarke's sci-fi classic 'Rendezvous with Rama,' where a mysterious object entering the solar system is revealed to be a massive alien ship. 'It could be following a programmed path,' Loeb suggested, challenging the notion that every fast-moving object in space is just a rock or a frozen snowball. NASA and ESA: It's Probably a Giant Comet Not everyone's buying the alien angle. Both NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) suggest 3I/ATLAS is most likely an interstellar comet. Here's their reasoning: 1. As it gets closer to the sun, heat will cause any ice on it to vaporise, creating a glowing tail of dust and gas. 2. This evaporation reflects sunlight, making the object appear bright and bigger than it actually is. Still, there's a twist: scientists can't measure its true size directly because it's too far away. Based on the light it reflects, they estimate it could be 20 to 24 kilometers long, much larger than ʻOumuamua, which was only about 100 meters. Experts Still Unsure What We're Dealing With While the comet theory seems more grounded, Loeb and others remain cautious. The object's size, shape, and seemingly deliberate movement are unusual—especially for something not bound by gravity within our solar system. Loeb emphasised that objects this large rarely travel this close to the sun from beyond the Milky Way. That alone, he says, is worth more scrutiny. So, is 3I/ATLAS just a massive comet playing cosmic tourist, or a messenger from civilizations unknown? The world will be watching as it makes its historic flyby in October. What's Next? Scientists across the globe will continue to observe 3I/ATLAS over the coming months as it nears its closest point to the sun. High-powered telescopes will track its brightness, trajectory, and tail formation, if any. Whether it turns out to be a natural wonder or something we've never seen before, one thing's clear: we're just beginning to understand what's out there. FAQs 1. Is 3I/ATLAS dangerous to Earth? No. It will stay 150 million miles away, far beyond any threat range. 2. Is 3I/ATLAS an alien spaceship? Some scientists like Avi Loeb think it could be, but there's no concrete proof yet. 3. How fast is it moving? It's traveling at around 135,000 mph, faster than most natural solar system objects. 4. When will it reach its closest point? October 30, 2025, near the sun. 5. How big is it? Estimated to be 20–24 km long, much larger than previous interstellar objects like ʻOumuamua.
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Daily Record
Scientists find ice comet older than the Sun that may be visible from Earth this year
Possibly the oldest comet ever seen has been discovered by scientists who believe the ancient rock may predate the Sun. First spotted last week, comet 3I/ATLAS is only the third known object from beyond our solar system, and it is the first ever to travel to us from a completely different region of the Milky Way. And what's more, it may be visible from Earth later this year. The object, which is thought to be rich in ice, was first spotted on July 1, by the ATLAS survey telescope in Chile, when it was about 670 million km from the Sun. Oxford University astronomer Matthew Hopkins presented the exciting findings at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy Meeting in Durham last week. His team discovered the comet by complete surprise, just before the astronomer was due to go on holiday. But instead of the 'quiet Wednesday' he had planned, him and his fellow researchers found what may be the oldest space object ever discovered. "All non-interstellar comets such as Halley's comet formed with our solar system, so are up to 4.5 billion years old," Hopkins said. Halley's Comet is a famous periodic comet that orbits the Sun and is visible from Earth approximately every 75-76 years. It was last seen in 1986 and is predicted to return in mid-2061, and is named after its discoverer Edmond Halley. While Halley's comet is as old as our solar system, Hopkins believes 3I/ATLAS may be almost twice as ancient at seven billion years old. The astronomer continued: "Interstellar visitors have the potential to be far older, and of those known about so far our statistical method suggests that 3I/ATLAS is very likely to be the oldest comet we have ever seen." Two objects from elsewhere in the cosmos have been discovered previously, but 3I/ATLAS is estimated to be far older and larger. It is travelling on a steep path through the galaxy, and based on its trajectory, scientists believe it came from an area of the Milky Way called the 'thick disk'. The thick disk, found in many spiral galaxies such as the Milky Way, is a population of ancient stars which orbit either above or below the thin plane where the Sun and most other stars live. This recently discovered comet is estimated to be rich in water ice due to the fact it was formed around an old, thick-disk star. As the space object nears the Sun it will heat up, triggering vapour and dust that will give it a glowing tail as it shoots through space. Experts say that the ice comet may be visible through a standard telescope later this year, or in early 2026, so keen amateur astronomers should keep an eye out. "This is an object from a part of the galaxy we've never seen up close before," said Professor Chris Lintott, co-author of the study and presenter of the BBC's The Sky at Night. "We think there's a two-thirds chance this comet is older than the solar system, and that it's been drifting through interstellar space ever since." The team's findings come from applying a model developed during Hopkins' doctoral research, which simulates the properties of interstellar objects based on their orbits and likely stellar origins. This research model, dubbed the Ōtautahi-Oxford Model, marks the first real-time application of predictive modelling to an interstellar comet.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
NASA confirms 3I/ATLAS as third interstellar object passing through our solar system
A mysterious object speeding through our solar system has officially been confirmed by NASA as an interstellar visitor — only the third of its kind ever recorded. The object, initially labelled A11pl3Z, has now been renamed 3I/ATLAS , with '3I' denoting its status as the third interstellar object detected. The discovery was made in late June 2025 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), a NASA-funded network of telescopes scanning the skies from Hawaii, Chile, and South Africa. According to NASA's ATLAS project , the object was captured in data collected between June 25 and 29, with earlier sightings traced back to June 14. On July 1, both NASA and the International Astronomical Union (IAU) confirmed its interstellar status based on its speed, orbit, and trajectory—characteristics that make it distinctly not bound by the Sun's gravity. Meet third known interstellar visitor after ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like [화제] 갱년기 불면증으로 고생하셨던 분들 '이것' 먹고 푹 주무세요! 리피어라 더 알아보기 Undo 3I/ATLAS is hurtling toward the Sun at an incredible speed of 152,000 miles per hour (245,000 km/h)—far faster than most objects orbiting within our solar system, according to reports. What makes this object truly remarkable, however, is its hyperbolic trajectory. Unlike typical comets or asteroids that follow elliptical paths around the Sun, a hyperbolic orbit means 3I/ATLAS isn't gravitationally bound to our star. Instead, it's passing through from deep space—entering the solar system once, then heading back out forever. In other words, this rare visitor is just making a brief stop in our cosmic neighbourhood before continuing its journey across the galaxy. According to planetary scientist Sarah Greenstreet of the University of Washington, 'Its orbit is too steep, and its speed is too great for it to be a solar system object' Only two other interstellar objects have ever been confirmed: ʻOumuamua in 2017—a cigar- or pancake-shaped object that left astronomers baffled. 2I/Borisov in 2019—a comet with more conventional behaviour. With just three known samples, studying 3I/ATLAS gives researchers an unprecedented chance to better understand the nature of objects from beyond our solar system. Astronomers race to study 3I/ATLAS before it leaves forever Astronomers are now racing to collect data on the object using a global network of ground- and space-based telescopes. 3I/ATLAS is thought to have a coma—the glowing halo of gas typical of comets—indicating that it contains volatile ices now vaporising as it nears the Sun. A recent observation suggests the object may appear reddish, hinting at its ancient composition—likely formed from primordial matter in another star system billions of years ago. Estimates suggest the object could be anywhere from 6 to 15 miles long, significantly larger than its predecessors. Its closest approach will bring it within 18 million miles of Mars in early October 2025. Several orbiters around the Red Planet may get the chance to image the object up close. As 3I/ATLAS speeds toward the inner solar system, scientists expect its cometary tail to grow, offering stunning visuals and deeper insight into its composition. 'We'll have a few more months before it heads back out,' said Aster Taylor, an astrophysicist at the University of Michigan. 'This is a rare chance to study a piece of another planetary system—up close and in real-time,' added Greenstreet. Also Read: The 10 most powerful telescopes on Earth and in space transforming modern astronomy
