Particle.news
Download on the App Store
7 ARTICLES
·
8h ago

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Shows Early Outgassing on Swift Solar System Passage

Currently tracked at 4.5 AU, exhibiting outgassing with a velocity near 60 km/s, the comet remains under observation ahead of ESA's Comet Interceptor mission

Image
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
Image
This diagram illustrates the trajectory of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it crosses the solar system. In October, it will get the closest to the Sun. | Image: NASA

Overview

  • 3I/ATLAS was first spotted by Chile’s ATLAS survey on July 1 and confirmed as interstellar by NASA on July 3, making it the third known object from beyond our solar system
  • Orbit reconstructions trace its approach from the Galactic Center region and project a closest Earth distance of 1.5 astronomical units, posing no threat
  • Observations in early July have revealed a faint coma and short tail, indicating the onset of normal cometary activity as it warms
  • The comet is expected to reach perihelion on October 30 at 1.4 astronomical units from the Sun, dipping inside Mars’s orbit before heading back into interstellar space
  • ESA is finalizing its 2029 Comet Interceptor mission to target pristine comets or future interstellar visitors similar to 3I/ATLAS