Latest news with #PeterVeres
The Sun
3 hours ago
- Science
- The Sun
Mystery 12-mile-wide ‘fuzzy object with a tail' spotted blazing through our solar system at 37 miles a SECOND, Nasa says
A MYSTERIOUS cosmic object has been spotted zooming through our solar system - and astronomers say it is only the third of its kind. The "fuzzy" object with a "short tail" is no fur-ball alien, but instead a large icy comet from interstellar space. 6 6 6 6 The celestial visitor is only the third interstellar object on record to grace our solar system, and is also likely the largest yet detected. It follows the rare visits from the famous 1I/ʻOumuamua asteroid in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019. "The fact that we see some fuzziness suggests that it is mostly ice rather than mostly rock," Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, told AFP. Peter Veres, an astronomer with the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center, which was responsible for the official confirmation, added: "It looks kind of fuzzy... It seems that there is some gas around it, and I think one or two telescopes reported a very short tail." The 12-mile-wide comet, known originally as A11pl3Z before it was confirmed to be of interstellar origin, is blazing through the solar system at great speed. While astronomers are still refining their calculations, the object appears to be zooming more than 60 kilometers (37 miles) a second. 6 The comet poses no threat to Earth, said Richard Moissl, head of planetary defense at the European Space Agency (ESA). It's closest approach of Earth, which is projected to occur in late October, will see it pass "just inside the orbit of Mars," according to Moissl. It will pass our blue dot no closer than 240 million kilometres – over 1.5 times the distance between Earth and the Sun. By the time it does make its closest path of Earth, it will be hidden by the Sun - meaning stargazers will have no chance of spotting it in the night sky. Incredible moment a fireball comet is spotted racing past stunning aurora towards Earth While it is expected to reappear by early December, this will only offer astronomers another window for study. The comet was first spotted on 1 July by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Río Hurtado, Chile. Its unusual trajectory immediately raised suspicions that the comet came from an unknown world in interstellar space. Its current path "means it's not orbiting our star, but coming from interstellar space and flying off to there again," according to Moissl. What's the difference between an asteroid, meteor and comet? Here's what you need to know, according to Nasa... Asteroid: An asteroid is a small rocky body that orbits the Sun. Most are found in the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter) but they can be found anywhere (including in a path that can impact Earth) Meteoroid: When two asteroids hit each other, the small chunks that break off are called meteoroids Meteor: If a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere, it begins to vapourise and then becomes a meteor. On Earth, it'll look like a streak of light in the sky, because the rock is burning up Meteorite: If a meteoroid doesn't vapourise completely and survives the trip through Earth's atmosphere, it can land on the Earth. At that point, it becomes a meteorite Comet: Like asteroids, a comet orbits the Sun. However rather than being made mostly of rock, a comet contains lots of ice and gas, which can result in amazing tails forming behind them (thanks to the ice and dust vaporizing) ESA's Planetary Defence Office, tasked with safeguarding Earth from potential asteroid and comet impacts, alerted astronomers who can now track the comet's path. These efforts are part of ESA's broader mission to detect, track, and characterise near-Earth objects. "What makes interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS so extraordinary is their absolutely foreign nature," ESA wrote in a recent blog post. "They are remnants of other planetary systems, carrying with them clues about the formation of worlds far beyond our own. "It may be thousands of years until humans visit a planet in another solar system and interstellar comets offer the tantalising opportunity for us to touch something truly otherworldly." That's why the space agency is preparing the Comet Interceptor mission for 2029. ESA is set to send a spacecraft into a parking orbit in space to wait for a suitable target comet – or even a rare interstellar object - to retrieve samples from. 6
GMA Network
16 hours ago
- Science
- GMA Network
Third-ever confirmed interstellar object blazing through Solar System
Distant galaxies are seen in an image produced by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, on Pachon Hill, Coquimbo Region, Chile, June 18, 2025. RubinObs/NOIRLab/SLAC/NSF/DOE/AURA/Handout via REUTERS PARIS, France - Astronomers on Wednesday confirmed the discovery of an interstellar object racing through our Solar System -- only the third ever spotted, though scientists suspect many more may slip past unnoticed. The visitor from the stars, designated 3I/Atlas, is likely the largest yet detected, and has been classified as a comet, or cosmic snowball. "It looks kind of fuzzy," Peter Veres, an astronomer with the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center, which was responsible for the official confirmation, told AFP. "It seems that there is some gas around it, and I think one or two telescopes reported a very short tail." Originally known as A11pl3Z before it was confirmed to be of interstellar origin, the object poses no threat to Earth, said Richard Moissl, head of planetary defense at the European Space Agency. "It will fly deep through the Solar System, passing just inside the orbit of Mars," but will not hit our neighboring planet, he told AFP. Excited astronomers are still refining their calculations, but the object appears to be zooming more than 60 kilometers (37 miles) a second. This would mean it is not bound by the Sun's orbit, unlike objects that remain within the solar system. Its trajectory also "means it's not orbiting our star, but coming from interstellar space and flying off to there again," Moissl said. "We think that probably these little ice balls get formed associated with star systems," added Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. "And then as another star passes by, tugs on the ice ball, frees it out. It goes rogue, wanders through the galaxy, and now this one is just passing us." A Chile based observatory that is part of the NASA-funded ATLAS survey first discovered the object on Tuesday. Professional and amateur astronomers across the world then searched through past telescope data, tracing its trajectory back to at least June 14. The object is currently estimated to be roughly 10-20 kilometers wide, Moissl said, which would make it the largest interstellar interloper ever detected. But the object could be smaller if it is made out of ice, which reflects more light. Veres said the object will continue to brighten as it nears the Sun, bending slightly under the pull of gravity, and is expected to reach its closest point -- perihelion -- on 29 October. It will then recede and exit the Solar System over the next few years. Our third visitor This marks only the third time humanity has detected an object entering the solar system from the stars. The first, 'Oumuamua, was discovered in 2017. It was so strange that at least one prominent scientist became convinced it was an alien vessel -- though this has since been contradicted by further research. Our second interstellar visitor, 2I/Borisov, was spotted in 2019. There is no reason to suspect an artificial origin for 3I/Atlas, but teams around the world are now racing to answer key questions about things like its shape, composition, and rotation. Mark Norris, an astronomer at the UK's University of Central Lancashire, told AFP that the new object appears to be "moving considerably faster than the other two extrasolar objects that we previously discovered." The object is currently roughly around the distance from Jupiter away from Earth, Norris said. Norris pointed to modelling estimating that there could be as many as 10,000 interstellar objects drifting through the Solar System at any given time, though most would be smaller than the newly discovered object. If true, this suggests that the newly online Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile could soon be finding these dim interstellar visitors every month, Norris said. Moissl said it is not feasible to send a mission into space to intercept the new object. Still, these visitors offer scientists a rare chance to study something outside of our Solar System. For example, if we detected precursors of life such as amino acids on such an object, it would give us "a lot more confidence that the conditions for life exist in other star systems," Norris said. — Agence France-Presse
NDTV
18 hours ago
- Science
- NDTV
NASA Detects 'Interstellar Visitor' Hurtling Through Solar System
Astronomers have observed what they believe to be the third detected "interstellar object" speeding through the solar system in the direction of the Earth. The visiting space object is expected to depart the cosmic neighbourhood permanently after making its closest approach to the Sun in about four months, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The comet-like body, designated 3I/ATLAS by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Centre, is hurtling towards the Sun at a speed of over 60 kilometres per second and is believed to have come from interstellar space. Here, "interstellar" means the object came from outside the solar system, likely another star system. It is not bound by the Sun's gravity and is only passing through on a trajectory that shows it didn't form here and won't stay. Originally known as A11pl3Z, the object was initially detected in data gathered between June 25 and June 29 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), which uses telescopes in South Africa and Hawaii to automatically scan the night sky, Live Science reported. With a potential 12-mile (20-kilometre) range, A11pl3Z is most likely a large asteroid or potentially a comet. It is travelling into the inner solar system at roughly 152,000 mph (245,000 km/h) and is approaching Earth from the area of the night sky where the Milky Way's bar is located. The Minor Planet Centre (MPC), operated by the International Astronomical Union, officially designated the object as interstellar on Tuesday after analysing its trajectory and preliminary observational data. Experts believe that A11pl3Z came from somewhere outside the gravitational pull of the Sun and has enough momentum to fly through our cosmic neighbourhood without slowing down. However, more observations are necessary to make a definitive statement. "It looks kind of fuzzy," astronomer Peter Veres, who works for the MPC of the International Astronomical Union, told AFP. The A11pl3Z "will fly deep through the Solar System, passing just inside the orbit of Mars," but it will have no effect on the nearby planets, Mr Veres said. Richard Moissl, head of planetary defence at the European Space Agency, claimed that A11pl3Z is not a threat to Earth. The object is reportedly believed to be between 10 and 20 kilometres wide, making it the largest interstellar intruder ever discovered. However, it may be smaller if the object is composed of ice, which reflects more light. This marks the third occasion that humans have discovered something coming from the stars into the solar system. There have only been two confirmed interstellar visitors so far. The first one was Oumuamua, a cigar-shaped object that grabbed headlines in 2017 when some astronomers speculated that it might be an alien probe before experts determined it was most likely a space rock that shot hydrogen. The second one was Comet 2I/Borisov, observed in 2019, as it sailed through the solar system.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Science
- Express Tribune
Third interstellar object detected racing through solar system
This handout image obtained on May 23, 2024 courtesy of NASA/ESA/CSA shows space telescope Euclid's new image of star-forming region Messier 78 (the central and brightest region), a vibrant nursery of star formation enveloped in a shroud of interstellar dust. The European Space Agency (ESA) unveiled on May 23, 2024 a first batch of scientific images of the cosmos taken by the Euclid space telescope, which will observe two billion galaxies over six years in an attempt to unravel the mystery of elusive dark matter. (AFP) Listen to article Astronomers on Wednesday confirmed the discovery of an interstellar object racing through our solar system — only the third ever spotted, though scientists suspect many more may slip past unnoticed. The visitor from the stars, designated 3I/Atlas, is likely the largest yet detected and has been classified as a comet, or cosmic snowball. 'It looks kind of fuzzy,' said Peter Veres, an astronomer with the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center, which was responsible for the official confirmation. 'It seems that there is some gas around it, and I think one or two telescopes reported a very short tail.' Originally known as A11pl3Z before it was confirmed to be of interstellar origin, the object poses no threat to Earth, said Richard Moissl, head of planetary defense at the European Space Agency. 'It will fly deep through the solar system, passing just inside the orbit of Mars,' but will not hit our neighboring planet. Excited astronomers are still refining their calculations, but the object appears to be zooming more than 60 kilometers (37 miles) a second. Read: Netflix, NASA team up for space content This would mean it is not bound by the Sun's orbit, unlike objects that remain within the solar system. Its trajectory also 'means it's not orbiting our star, but coming from interstellar space and flying off to there again,' Moissl said. 'We think that probably these little ice balls get formed associated with star systems,' added Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. 'And then as another star passes by, tugs on the ice ball, frees it out. It goes rogue, wanders through the galaxy, and now this one is just passing us.' A Chile-based observatory that is part of the NASA-funded ATLAS survey first discovered the object on Tuesday. Professional and amateur astronomers across the world then searched through past telescope data, tracing its trajectory back to at least June 14. The object is currently estimated to be roughly 10–20 kilometers wide, Moissl said, which would make it the largest interstellar interloper ever detected. But the object could be smaller if it is made out of ice, which reflects more light. Veres said the object will continue to brighten as it nears the Sun, bending slightly under the pull of gravity, and is expected to reach its closest point — perihelion — on October 29. An artist's impression of 'Oumuamua', the first known visitor from the stars to our Solar System. Photo: AFP It will then recede and exit the solar system over the next few years. This marks only the third time humanity has detected an object entering the solar system from the stars. The first, ʻOumuamua, was discovered in 2017. It was so strange that at least one prominent scientist became convinced it was an alien vessel — though this has since been contradicted by further research. Our second interstellar visitor, 2I/Borisov, was spotted in 2019. Read more: Pakistani astronaut to embark on space mission with China There is no reason to suspect an artificial origin for 3I/Atlas, but teams around the world are now racing to answer key questions about things like its shape, composition, and rotation. Mark Norris, an astronomer at the UK's University of Central Lancashire, that the new object appears to be 'moving considerably faster than the other two extrasolar objects that we previously discovered.' The object is currently roughly around the distance from Jupiter away from Earth, Norris said. Norris pointed to modeling estimating that there could be as many as 10,000 interstellar objects drifting through the solar system at any given time, though most would be smaller than the newly discovered object. If true, this suggests that the newly online Vera C Rubin Observatory in Chile could soon be finding these dim interstellar visitors every month, Norris said. Moissl said it is not feasible to send a mission into space to intercept the new object. Still, these visitors offer scientists a rare chance to study something outside of our solar system. For example, if we detected precursors of life such as amino acids on such an object, it would give us 'a lot more confidence that the conditions for life exist in other star systems,' Norris said.
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Science
- Malay Mail
Cosmic visitor from beyond: 3I/Atlas confirmed as third interstellar object to enter Solar System, likely the largest yet
PARIS, July 3 — Astronomers yesterday confirmed the discovery of an interstellar object racing through our Solar System — only the third ever spotted, though scientists suspect many more may slip past unnoticed. The visitor from the stars, designated 3I/Atlas, is likely the largest yet detected, and has been classified as a comet, or cosmic snowball. 'It looks kind of fuzzy,' Peter Veres, an astronomer with the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Centre, which was responsible for the official confirmation, told AFP. 'It seems that there is some gas around it, and I think one or two telescopes reported a very short tail.' Originally known as A11pl3Z before it was confirmed to be of interstellar origin, the object poses no threat to Earth, said Richard Moissl, head of planetary defence at the European Space Agency. 'It will fly deep through the Solar System, passing just inside the orbit of Mars,' but will not hit our neighbouring planet, he told AFP. Excited astronomers are still refining their calculations, but the object appears to be zooming more than 60 kilometres a second. This would mean it is not bound by the Sun's orbit, unlike objects that remain within the solar system. Its trajectory also 'means it's not orbiting our star, but coming from interstellar space and flying off to there again,' Moissl said. 'We think that probably these little ice balls get formed associated with star systems,' added Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics. 'And then as another star passes by, tugs on the ice ball, frees it out. It goes rogue, wanders through the galaxy, and now this one is just passing us.' A Chile based observatory that is part of the Nasa-funded ATLAS survey first discovered the object on Tuesday. Professional and amateur astronomers across the world then searched through past telescope data, tracing its trajectory back to at least June 14. The object is currently estimated to be roughly 10-20 kilometres wide, Moissl said, which would make it the largest interstellar interloper ever detected. But the object could be smaller if it is made out of ice, which reflects more light. Veres said the object will continue to brighten as it nears the Sun, bending slightly under the pull of gravity, and is expected to reach its closest point — perihelion — on 29 October. It will then recede and exit the Solar System over the next few years. Our third visitor This marks only the third time humanity has detected an object entering the solar system from the stars. The first, 'Oumuamua, was discovered in 2017. It was so strange that at least one prominent scientist became convinced it was an alien vessel—though this has since been contradicted by further research. Our second interstellar visitor, 2I/Borisov, was spotted in 2019. There is no reason to suspect an artificial origin for 3I/Atlas, but teams around the world are now racing to answer key questions about things like its shape, composition, and rotation. Mark Norris, an astronomer at the UK's University of Central Lancashire, told AFP that the new object appears to be 'moving considerably faster than the other two extrasolar objects that we previously discovered.' The object is currently roughly around the distance from Jupiter away from Earth, Norris said. Norris pointed to modelling estimating that there could be as many as 10,000 interstellar objects drifting through the Solar System at any given time, though most would be smaller than the newly discovered object. If true, this suggests that the newly online Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile could soon be finding these dim interstellar visitors every month, Norris said. Moissl said it is not feasible to send a mission into space to intercept the new object. Still, these visitors offer scientists a rare chance to study something outside of our Solar System. For example, if we detected precursors of life such as amino acids on such an object, it would give us 'a lot more confidence that the conditions for life exist in other star systems,' Norris said. — AFP
