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11h ago

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Brightens as Observatories Intensify Monitoring

Global teams are racing to capture multiwavelength observations of its emerging activity before its October flyby at 240 million kilometers from Earth.

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The third known interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS, is captured in the center of this image taken by an amateur astronomer using a 20-inch f/6.8 scope and five 20-second exposures via the iTelescope remote imaging service. Credit: Filipp Romanov
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Overview

  • 3I/ATLAS has been confirmed as the third interstellar object to enter the Solar System, moving at about 60 kilometers per second.
  • Multiwavelength observations reveal emerging cometary activity, with brightening driven by outgassing as it nears the Sun.
  • Trajectory reconstructions indicate the comet originated from the direction of the Milky Way’s Galactic Center region.
  • Its October flyby will bring it within 240 million kilometers of Earth, well beyond any risk to the planet.
  • The European Space Agency is advancing its Comet Interceptor mission to enable future in situ studies of pristine interstellar objects.