A new telescope in Chile has captured footage of a rare comet hurtling across the sky from beyond our solar system. The NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory spotted 3I/ATLAS, only the third interstellar object detected to date. This visitor was born in a different star system and is expected to pass through our realm before returning to space.
Comets are icy objects that travel through space, often leaving behind bright tails of gas and dust as they warm up near the sun. The 3I/ATLAS comet is special because it’s not from around here – its origin is in a different star system. Scientists estimate it may be over 7 billion years old, making it a “time capsule” that could reveal insights into our galaxy’s early history.
The Rubin Observatory recorded the comet’s video 10 days before NASA officially identified it. This discovery highlights the observatory’s potential to find more interstellar objects in the future, with estimates suggesting up to 50 possible discoveries within the next decade.
Studying 3I/ATLAS and other interstellar comets can provide valuable insights into how planetary systems form and whether life-building blocks travel between stars. The comet is expected to make its closest approach to the sun in late October, but it will remain far from Earth, leaving behind a wealth of data for astronomers to study for years to come.
As experts continue to study 3I/ATLAS, they are eager to learn more about this ancient object and its place in our galaxy’s history.
Source: https://mashable.com/article/comet-3iatlas-interstellar-video