For the past few months, skywatchers have been captivated by a newly discovered comet, 3I/Atlas. It’s making its way through our solar system, and experts believe it comes from a disk around another star.
Levent Gurdemir, an astrophysicist at the University of Texas at Arlington, explains that this comet is exciting because it’s the third known interstellar object to visit us. It was first spotted by an asteroid alert system in Chile on July 1, and labeled “3I” for “third interstellar.” The “Atlas” refers to the system that discovered it.
As it approaches, there has been much discussion about what 3I/Atlas really is. By September, some wondered why it hadn’t formed a tail yet, which is typical for comets as they near the sun. Harvard’s Dr. Avi Loeb, who actively tracks this comet, emphasizes the need to gather information about it. He suggests we should explore the possibilities rather than jump to conclusions, even about things like alien life.
This comet recently passed close to Mars, and as it nears the sun, its tail has started to become visible. NASA states it travels at an astonishing speed of 137,000 miles per hour. 3I/Atlas is expected to pass Earth on December 19, but experts assure us it won’t pose a threat. It will be around 170 million miles away, or roughly twice the distance from Earth to the sun.
Gurdemir, who also directs the UTA Planetarium, notes that previous interstellar objects like 1I/ Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov have sparked similar interest. He encourages curiosity about the cosmos and believes science discussions should be free from ridicule.
As 3I/Atlas heads back out of our solar system next March, its shrinking tail will likely pique further interest from astronomers, offering a unique glimpse into the mysteries of outer space.
For more insights on this topic, consider checking NASA for the latest updates on celestial events.
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Space, Meteor, NASA
