Latest news with #HubbleSpaceTelescope
NDTV
a day ago
- Science
- NDTV
Harvard Astronomer Avi Loeb Suggests Interstellar Object Could Be Alien Probe
A senior Harvard astronomer has reignited speculation about the origins of a vast interstellar object hurtling through the solar system. He has suggested that it might be an engineered probe instead of a natural phenomenon. Professor Avi Loeb, who heads Harvard's astronomy department, told CNN on August 7 that the Manhattan-sized body, officially designated 3I/ATLAS, was detected in early July by the Deep Random Survey telescope in Chile. Comet created by alien technology? While NASA has said that the comet doesn't pose a threat to the Earth, Loeb believes its characteristics raise questions about whether it could have been created by an intelligent civilisation. In a blog post, he wrote, 'Is 3I/ATLAS alien technology?' He told CNN, 'Usually, for comets, you see a tail trailing behind the object. Here, the glow is actually in front of it. We've never seen such a thing. A comet doesn't glow in front.' Loeb described the feature as 'puzzling' in another blog post and speculated on its potential mission. '(3I/ATLAS) may come to save us or destroy us. We'd better be ready for both options and check whether all interstellar objects are rocks,' he said. NASA says the comet will stay at least 1.8 astronomical units away (around 270 million kilometres) and reach its closest point to the Sun on October 30, 2025. Why is this comet different? Comet 3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed object to originate from beyond the solar system, according to NASA. It has been identified as interstellar due to the hyperbolic shape of its orbit, which does not loop around the Sun. Two new Hubble Space Telescope images, taken on July 21, appear to show light concentrated ahead of the object rather than behind. In his post, Loeb wrote, 'The existence of a glow ahead of 31/ATLAS but no evidence of gas molecules is puzzling.' The astrophysicist also pointed to its unusual path. Speaking to CNN, he said, 'It lies in the plane of the orbits of the planets around the Sun to within five degrees. It will arrive closest to the sun when the Earth is on the opposite side. We won't be able to observe it. But that's the perfect time for it to manoeuvre.' According to Loeb's recent paper, that trajectory could allow the object to discreetly study planetary motion within our system. The closest approach to the Sun is expected on October 31.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
Hubble Takes Best Picture Yet Of Comet From Another Solar System
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured the best picture yet of a high-speed comet visiting our solar system from another star. NASA and the European Space Agency released the latest photos on Thursday. Discovered last month by a telescope in Chile, the comet known as 3I-Atlas is only the third known interstellar object to pass our way and poses no threat to Earth. Astronomers originally estimated the size of its icy core at several miles (tens of kilometres) across, but Hubble's observations have narrowed it down to no more than 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometres). It could even be as small as 1,000 feet (320 meters), according to scientists. The comet is hurtling our way at 130,000 mph (209,000 kph), but will veer closer to Mars than Earth, keeping a safe distance from both. It was 277 million miles (446 million kilometres) away when photographed by Hubble a couple of weeks ago. The orbiting telescope revealed a teardrop-shaped plume of dust around the nucleus as well as traces of a dusty tail.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Science
- USA Today
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope gets look at interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. How big is it?
The image, which NASA bills as "the sharpest-ever picture" of the comet, gives scientists a better idea of the interstellar visitor's size. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has gotten an up-close look at a headline-grabbing object known as 3I/ATLAS that has recently wandered into Earth's cosmic neighborhood from far away. The image, which NASA bills as "the sharpest-ever picture" of an object most astronomers agree is almost definitely a comet, depicts the interstellar visitor that originated from outside our solar system from elsewhere in the Milky Way. 3I/ATLAS first made news in early July when scientists confirmed it as the third-ever observed interstellar interloper in our solar system. The space object further attracted the public's fascination again later in the month when a controversial astrophysicist from Harvard University began claiming it could be an alien spaceship. What we definitely know about 3I/ATLAS is that it has been drifting through interstellar space for billions of years, gaining speed from the gravitational slingshot effect of passing countless stars and nebulas. Fortunately, Hubble is just the first in NASA's fleet of telescopes slated to observe the likely comet as scientists look to learn more about the object's size of physical properties. What is 3I/ATLAS? A likely comet known as 3I/ATLAS made news in July when it was confirmed to have originated outside Earth's solar system, which makes it just one of three known interstellar objects ever discovered in our cosmic neighborhood. What's more, the object, which scientists estimate to be more than 12 miles wide, is whizzing at 130,000 miles per hour relative to the sun on a trajectory that on Oct. 30 will bring it within about 130 million miles of Earth, according to NASA. A telescope in Chile – part of the NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS – was the first to spot what initially looked like an unknown asteroid on a path approaching Earth's orbit. The observation was reported to the Minor Planet Center, the official authority for observing and reporting new asteroids, comets and other small bodies in the solar system. The object, eventually confirmed to almost certainly be a comet and named 3I/ATLAS, was later confirmed to have interstellar origins after follow-up observations. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope gets a look at likely comet Hubble's observations of 3I/ATLAS have allowed astronomers to more accurately estimate the size of the comet's solid, icy nucleus. Hubble captured the image of the comet on July 21, which NASA released Thursday, Aug. 7, in a blog post. The upper limit on the diameter of the comet's nucleus is anywhere between 1,000 feet to 3.5 miles across, researchers concluded. Hubble's observations may have helped pinpoint the comet's size, but scientists still have not determined what comprises its core. Its precise cosmic origins also remain a mystery. 'No one knows where the comet came from," David Jewitt, an astronomer at the University of California who authored a research paper about the Hubble findings, said in a statement. "It's like glimpsing a rifle bullet for a thousandth of a second. You can't project that back with any accuracy to figure out where it started on its path.' Observations from other NASA missions, including the infrared James Webb Space Telescope, "will help further refine our knowledge about the comet, including its chemical makeup," NASA said. Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb suggests 3I/ATLAS is alien tech Not all researchers have been convinced that 3I/ATLAS is a comet. Avi Loeb, an astrophysicist from Harvard University, authored a paper with two others – uploaded July 16 to the preprint server arXiv – speculating about whether the object could be "hostile" alien technology. Loeb has long had a preoccupation with extraterrestrials – even co-founding the Galileo Project, a research program at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics dedicated to the search for alien life. But while Loeb has often encouraged scientists to have an open mind about extraterrestrials, his theories and research have often rankled other astrophysicists in the field, who push back on some of his bolder claims. For instance, when the first interstellar object ever detected in our solar system was spotted in 2017, Loeb similarly posited that it was of extraterrestrial origin – a theory later debunked. Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@
Time of India
2 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
NASA Hubble Space Telescope captures image of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS speeding at 130,000 mph
Source: NASA NASA's Hubble Space Telescope In a groundbreaking discovery, has captured the clearest-ever image of 3I/ATLAS, a rare interstellar comet racing through our solar system at an incredible speed of 130,000 miles per hour. Marking only the third confirmed interstellar object ever observed, 3I/ATLAS is offering scientists a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to examine material formed in an entirely different star system, possibly light-years away in the Milky Way galaxy. Unlike typical solar system comets, this cosmic traveller carries with it the secrets of its alien origins, making it an astronomical treasure. Hubble's sharp observations are now helping researchers unravel its composition, trajectory, and structure — unlocking vital clues about how other planetary systems may evolve across the galaxy. NASA detects interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS showing solar system-like behaviour, Hubble Space Telescope confirms The comet was first detected on July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System), a NASA-funded sky survey designed to detect near-Earth objects. At the time of its discovery, 3I/ATLAS was about 420 million miles from the Sun — far from Earth and posing no danger. However, what makes this event so extraordinary is its origin: 3I/ATLAS is not from our solar system. Its hyperbolic trajectory and high velocity confirm it's a visitor from another star system, making it only the third interstellar object ever observed after 'Oumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019. Using its ultra-precise optics, the Hubble Space Telescope revealed a sunlit dust plume emerging from 3I/ATLAS and the early formation of a dust tail, similar to that seen in typical solar system comets. This glowing halo, or coma, surrounds the comet's solid core and gives scientists clues about its composition and behavior. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Texas Important Update For Vehicles Driven Less Than 50 Miles A Day Smart Lifestyle Trends Learn More Undo Though the actual nucleus — the frozen core of ice and rock — is still hidden beneath the coma and invisible even to Hubble, astronomers estimate its size to be between 1,000 feet (320 meters) and 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) in diameter. Interestingly, the comet's dust-loss rate — a key indicator of activity — appears comparable to that of native solar system comets located roughly 300 million miles from the Sun. This suggests that while 3I/ATLAS comes from another solar system, it behaves much like our own cometary bodies, pointing to potentially shared physical characteristics. Mysterious origins of 3I/ATLAS According to NASA, 3I/ATLAS likely originated in a different solar system, possibly billions of years ago. It may have been ejected by gravitational forces during the early formation of a distant planetary system and has since drifted through interstellar space, influenced by countless gravitational encounters with stars and nebulae. 'It's like glimpsing a rifle bullet for a thousandth of a second,' said Dr. David Jewitt, lead astronomer for the Hubble observations and planetary scientist at UCLA. 'You can't trace it back precisely to where it came from.' While its exact origin remains unknown, its discovery is part of a growing body of evidence suggesting there may be a hidden population of interstellar objects silently passing through our solar neighborhood — most undetected until now. NASA: 3I/ATLAS reveals hidden population of interstellar comets 'This latest interstellar tourist is one of a previously undetected population of objects bursting onto the scene,' Jewitt explained. 'We've now crossed a threshold in detection capability, thanks to next-generation sky surveys.' In fact, today's advanced telescopes and space observatories — such as Hubble, James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), TESS, Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, and Hawaii's W.M. Keck Observatory — are revolutionizing our ability to detect and study fast-moving interstellar bodies. Each plays a crucial role in capturing critical data on their trajectories, chemical composition, and physical behavior. The ongoing observation of 3I/ATLAS by this array of instruments will allow scientists to analyze its gases, dust particles, and molecular structure, giving us a deeper understanding of how comets evolve in alien star systems. 3I/ATLAS timeline: Visibility and future observations For space enthusiasts and astronomers alike, 3I/ATLAS will continue to be visible through ground-based telescopes until September 2025. After this, the comet will pass too close to the Sun and become temporarily obscured by solar glare. However, it's expected to re-emerge in early December 2025, offering another exciting chance to study this interstellar object in motion. Why 3I/ATLAS matters: Scientific and philosophical implications While 3I/ATLAS poses no threat to Earth, its significance cannot be overstated. Studying it may help scientists answer some of the most profound questions in astrophysics: How common are interstellar objects in our galaxy? Do other planetary systems produce comets like our own? Can we use these objects as natural probes into the chemistry of distant star systems? Each interstellar discovery pushes the boundary of what we know about the structure and evolution of the Milky Way, and potentially, about the conditions that lead to planetary formation and life. Also Read | NASA warns! Two giant asteroids, one over 300 feet to make close Earth flybys on August 8, 2025; are we really at risk
CBS News
2 days ago
- Science
- CBS News
A comet going 130,000 mph is visiting our solar system from another star. The Hubble telescope just took its picture.
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured the best picture yet of a high-speed comet visiting our solar system from another star. NASA and the European Space Agency released the latest photos Thursday. Discovered last month by a telescope in Chile, the comet known as 3I-Atlas is only the third known interstellar object to pass our way and poses no threat to Earth. Astronomers originally estimated the size of its icy core at several miles across, but Hubble's observations have narrowed it down to no more than 3.5 miles. It could even be as small as 1,000 feet, scientists say, according to a new paper published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. The comet is hurtling our way at 130,000 mph, but will veer closer to Mars than Earth, keeping a safe distance from both. It was 277 million miles away when photographed by Hubble a couple weeks ago. The orbiting telescope revealed a teardrop-shaped plume of dust around the nucleus as well as traces of a dusty tail. NASA previously said the comet will make its closest approach to the sun in late October, scooting between the orbits of Mars and Earth. The agency said 3I/ATLAS should remain visible to telescopes through September, but then it will pass too close to the sun to observe. It is expected to reappear on the other side of the sun by early December, allowing for renewed observations. According to Las Cumbres Observatory in Chile, the object is named "3I" because it is the third such interstellar object to be found, following 1I/'Oumuamu in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019. "All three appear to be quite dark and red, reflecting only about 5% of the sunlight that hits them, which is similar in reflectivity to asphalt," the observatory said last month. "Unlike 1I/'Oumuamu, 3I does not change much in brightness as it rotates, indicating that it is more likely to be spherical." Los Cumbres Observatory created an animation of image data from its telescope as it tracked the new interstellar on July 4 2025:
