NASA identifies newly discovered object as an interstellar comet that will keep a safe distance
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA has discovered an interstellar comet that's wandered into our backyard.
The space agency spotted the quick-moving object with the sky-surveying Atlas telescope in Chile earlier this week, and confirmed it was a comet from another star system. It's officially the third known interstellar object to pass through our solar system and poses no threat to Earth.
The newest visitor is 416 million miles (670 million kilometres) from the sun, out near Jupiter. NASA said the comet will make its closest approach to the sun in October, scooting between the orbits of Mars and Earth — but closer to the red planet than us at a safe 150 million miles (240 million kilometres) away.
Astronomers around the world are monitoring the comet — an icy snowball officially designated 3I/Atlas — to determine its size and shape. It should be visible by telescopes through September, before it gets too close to the sun, and reappear in December on the other side of the sun.
The first interstellar visitor observed from Earth was Oumuamua, Hawaiian for scout, in honor of the observatory in Hawaii that discovered it in 2017. Classified at first as an asteroid, the elongated Oumuamua has since showed signs of being a comet.
The second object confirmed to have strayed from another star system into our own —— 21/Borisov — was discovered in 2019 by a Crimean amateur astronomer with that name. It, too, is believed to be a comet.
___
Marcia Dunn, The Associated Press
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
3 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Rocket Lab Stock Soars Higher as Neutron's Maiden Flight Nears
Rocket Lab Corp. RKLB is currently on the cusp of a transformative milestone with its highly anticipated Neutron rocket approaching its maiden flight in the second half of 2025. To expand beyond its small-launcher Electron and capture the medium-lift payload market, while positioning itself to compete with heavy-lift providers like SpaceX, Rocket Lab launched the Neutron program. This medium-class, reusable vehicle, with a potential payload capacity of approximately 15,000 kg, aims to offer flexible, cost-effective access to space for a wide range of customers, including satellite constellations, government missions, and commercial payloads. To this end, it is imperative to mention that in May 2025 Rocket Lab announced that it will launch its Neutron rocket for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory for a Rocket Cargo mission to support point-to-point cargo transportation, establishing a new era of commercial launch capability to advance global defense logistics for the nation. Earlier in February, the company revealed details about the ocean landing platform, a modified barge, for Neutron missions returning to Earth. Customized modification is currently ongoing on this barge, including autonomous ground support equipment to capture and secure the landed Neutron, blast shielding to protect equipment during Neutron landings, and station-keeping thrusters for precise positioning. These announcements implying consistent progress in the Neutron program have bolstered investor confidence, reflected in Rocket Lab's share price performance. While the company's year-to-date price increase has been modest, the past three months have seen a sharper uptick, underscoring growing optimism around Neutron's prospects as new milestones mentioned above are achieved. RKLB's shares gained 40% year to date, while the same soared 103.6% over the past three months. Other Stocks One Should Keep an Eye on The space launch services market has been witnessing solid growth trends driven by surging demand for satellite constellations, increasing government and defense investments, and the growing need for low-cost, reliable access to space to support telecommunications, Earth observation, and national security missions. Therefore, investors interested in this business realm may keep RKLB along with other industry players like Boeing BA and Lockheed Martin LMT in their watchlist, which already enjoy an established footprint in the space launch market. Boeing's products have powered human space exploration for six decades now. The company is the prime contractor for the design, development and production of the core stage, upper stages and flight avionics suite used in NASA's Space Launch System, the only proven deep-space optimized, super-heavy lift rocket built to carry astronauts and cargo farther and faster than any rocket in history. Lockheed Martin is another space stock that has contributed significantly to various space missions with its breakthrough technologies. It is the prime contractor involved in the construction of Orion, the spacecraft that will carry the crew of four astronauts in the Artemis II lunar mission. The Zacks Rundown for RKLB Shares of RKLB have gained 630.8% in the past year compared with the industry 's 50.9% growth. With respect to valuation, the company trades at a premium. RKLB currently trades at a forward 12-month Price/Sales of 22.49X compared with its industry's average of 10.06X. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Zacks Consensus Estimates for RKLB's 2025 and 2026 loss have improved over the past 60 days. RKLB stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days Just released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops." Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +23.5% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention. See them now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Boeing Company (BA): Free Stock Analysis Report Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT): Free Stock Analysis Report Rocket Lab Corporation (RKLB): Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (
Globe and Mail
4 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Boeing Stock Set for a Ride as NASA Progresses in Artemis II Program
NASA's Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight in its lunar return program, set to launch in April 2026, has reached critical milestones in recent months, reigniting investor interest in aerospace giant Boeing BA, a key contractor in the Space Launch System (SLS) program. On July 2, 2025, NASA announced on its Facebook page that the Program Specific Engineering Test for the Artemis II core stage had been completed. In early June, the Artemis II team conducted its first mission simulation to rehearse lunar science operations for the upcoming crewed mission. Earlier, in March, the integration of the Artemis II SLS core stage with its solid rocket boosters was successfully completed, which was another key milestone in preparing the rocket for launch. To this end, it is imperative to mention that the SLS rocket, designed to carry astronauts farther into space than ever before, is led by Boeing as the prime contractor for its core stage, upper stage, and avionics systems. The jet giant is currently building the core stages for all future Artemis missions. Thus, for Boeing, Artemis II represents more than just a technological triumph — it's a strategic revenue driver. With the company's Defense, Space & Security segment accounting for nearly 36% of total revenues in 2024, space programs like Artemis are key to Boeing's efforts to gain from a diversified portfolio beyond its struggling commercial aviation business and provide it with a significant financial cushion. With Artemis II on track, NASA's commitment to sustaining the Artemis program through Artemis III and beyond implies recurring revenue potential for Boeing over the long run, given its deep involvement in every SLS flight configuration. As investor interest in space stocks has been gaining increasing traction these days, the continued success of the Artemis mission should strengthen Boeing's positioning in the $500 billion global space economy and offer a promising growth vector for its shares. The potential upside reflected in BA's price target further supports this thesis. Based on short-term price targets provided by 22 analysts, the average Zacks price target for Boeing implies a 6.4% upside from its last closing price. Other Space Stocks Warrant a Look Other stocks, involved in the SLS program and Artemis missions, like Lockheed Martin LMT and L3Harris Technologies Inc. LHX, also stand to benefit from the steady progress of the Artemis II mission. Notably, Lockheed is the prime contractor involved in the construction of Orion, the spacecraft that will carry the crew of four astronauts in the Artemis II mission. In May 2025, LMT achieved a significant milestone in the development of NASA's Orion spacecraft by officially transferring it to NASA's Exploration Ground Systems team, following the completion of the spacecraft's assembly and testing. On the other hand, L3Harris is involved in the Artemis II mission through its Aerojet Rocketdyne business unit, which provides the RS-25 engines that power the SLS core stage. In May 2025, Aerojet Rocketdyne completed installation of all four RS-25 main engines on the core stage of NASA's second SLS exploration rocket, which will be used in the Artemis II mission. The Zacks Rundown for BA Shares of Boeing have risen 22% year to date compared with the industry 's growth of 22.2%. From a valuation standpoint, BA is currently trading at a forward 12-month sales multiple of 1.80X, a roughly 18.9% discount when stacked up with the industry average of 2.22X. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BA's 2025 and 2026 sales implies a year-over-year uptick of 25.6% and 16.2%, respectively. The same for its earnings per share for 2025 has moved north over the past 60 days, while the same for 2026 has moved south. BA stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days Just released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops." Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +23.5% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention. See them now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Boeing Company (BA): Free Stock Analysis Report Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT): Free Stock Analysis Report L3Harris Technologies Inc (LHX): Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (
Globe and Mail
5 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Lockheed Martin Expands Mars Ambitions With Next-Gen Mission Design
Lockheed Martin Corporation ( LMT ), widely recognized for its advanced defense systems, also holds a strong position in the space industry. Its space business segment, which plays a key role in areas such as satellite technology, missile warning systems and deep space exploration, has already been involved deeply in Earth-to-Mars missions of NASA. Impressively, Lockheed Martin built NASA's first Mars lander and has been a part of every NASA Mars mission since. Now, Lockheed Martin is aiming even higher with a new streamlined approach to NASA's Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, which could set a new standard for future planetary missions. This revolutionary mission aims to collect soil samples from Mars and bring them back to Earth in a single mission. LMT's updated plan for the MSR mission introduces a faster and more affordable approach by using a smaller Mars lander with a smaller Mars Ascent Vehicle and a smaller Earth Return Orbiter. To this end, in a recent development, Lockheed Martin has proposed a commercially-led approach to NASA for executing the MRS mission at a firm-fixed price of under $3 billion. This is a bold alternative to the agency's current MSR cost projections, which are nearing $7 billion. As global interest in space continues to rise, such initiatives should bolster the long-term prospects of Lockheed Martin's space business. Prospects for Other Space Stocks The global space economy's growth prospects also offer significant opportunities for other space stocks like The Boeing Company ( BA ) and Rocket Lab USA Corporation ( RKLB ), which have a significant presence in this arena. Boeing has decades of experience supporting major U.S. space missions while actively contributing to both government and commercial projects. The company is the prime contractor for the core stage, upper stage and avionics systems of America's Space Launch System program. BA is also helping return human launch capabilities to U.S. soil through the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft. On the other hand, Rocket Lab, with its advanced Electron rocket and expanding capabilities in small satellite launches, has already established itself as a prominent launcher in the launch services market. The company recently launched its 68th Electron rocket, with 100% mission success so far this year. It is currently developing the Neutron rocket, aimed at supporting larger payloads and satellite constellation deployments, thereby boosting its competitiveness in the medium-lift launch segment. The Zacks Rundown for LMT Shares of LMT have gained 0.1% in the past year compared with the industry 's 19% growth. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The company shares are trading at a discount on a relative basis, with its forward 12-month Price/Earnings being 16.21X compared with its industry's average of 26.70X. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LMT's 2025 and 2026 earnings has moved south over the past 60 days. LMT stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days Just released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops." Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +23.5% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention. See them now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Boeing Company (BA): Free Stock Analysis Report Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT): Free Stock Analysis Report Rocket Lab Corporation (RKLB): Free Stock Analysis Report
