Is Earth in danger from interstellar object passing through Solar System?
A graphic of 3I/ATLAS as it passes through Solar System. (Photo: JPL)
Astronomers were able to confirm the comet's trajectory thanks to follow-up observations and archival images from the ATLAS network and the Zwicky Transient Facility in California.Pre-discovery sightings date back to June 14, giving scientists a longer timeline to study its path and properties.IS EARTH IN DANGER? According to NASA and astronomers worldwide, the answer is a resounding no.Despite its high speed and mysterious origins from the direction of the Sagittarius constellation, 3I/ATLAS will remain at a safe distance of 1.6 astronomical units (about 150 million miles) from Earth.Still, tracking 3I/ATLAS is no easy feat. The object is both faint (magnitude +18) and extremely fast-moving.However, if it behaves like other comets, it could brighten significantly, possibly reaching magnitude +11, by late October, briefly making it visible to backyard astronomers with mid-sized telescopes.What makes 3I/ATLAS so exciting isn't any threat it poses but what it can teach us. As an object from beyond our solar system, it offers scientists a rare opportunity to examine material from distant planetary systems.Studying its composition, brightness, and behavior may unlock clues about the early formation of worlds unlike our own.In short, 3I/ATLAS is no danger to Earth, but it's a thrilling reminder that our solar system is part of a much larger, more mysterious galactic neighborhood — and every once in a while, something from out there comes to visit.- Ends
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