A new study published on July 17 reveals that the recently discovered interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is roughly 7 miles wide, making it the largest of its kind ever seen. The alien comet was discovered on July 1 and was initially thought to be a small asteroid, but further observations have revealed its true size.
Detailed images taken by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory show that the comet’s nucleus has a radius of around 3.5 miles, with a margin of error of about 0.4 mile. This measurement confirms that 3I/ATLAS is comfortably the largest interstellar object ever detected, surpassing previous estimates.
The discovery was made possible by the observatory’s extensive early data set, which allowed researchers to identify images of the comet. The study team hopes that this technology will be used to find future interstellar objects and predict their orbits.
Other notable interstellar objects include 1I/’Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov, but none have been detected with such precision as 3I/ATLAS. Astronomers believe that many more interstellar objects may pass through the solar system undetected.
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is equipped with a massive digital camera and will begin a 10-year mission to scan the Southern Hemisphere’s skies later this year. Its first images revealed over 10 million galaxies in unprecedented detail, and it has already discovered thousands of new asteroids. The observatory’s capabilities are expected to revolutionize the study of interstellar objects.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/comets/3i-atlas-is-7-miles-wide-the-largest-interstellar-object-ever-seen-new-photos-from-vera-c-rubin-observatory-reveal