A mysterious visitor from the depths of space is approaching the Sun at an astonishing speed
makes it the third known interstellar visitor to humanity, after 'Oumuamua in 2017 and Borisov in 2019.
The object, believed to be an interstellar comet, is hurtling toward the Sun at an incredible speed of over 210,000 km/h. It is expected to reach its closest point to the Sun in October 2025 before continuing its journey away from our solar system toward an unknown destination.
What makes this new space visitor remarkable is that it might be the oldest interstellar object ever detected, according to researchers. This opens the door to significant scientific discoveries about the nature of comets that originated in distant galaxies or star systems.
Within less than 24 hours of its detection, scientists confirmed that '3I ATLAS' does not originate from our solar system — a rare occurrence that raises many questions about its origin and composition. Early observations show it has a cloud of gas and ice similar to traditional comets, with an estimated size of about 24 kilometers, making it larger than any previously observed interstellar comet.
As for any potential threat to Earth, NASA has reassured the public that it poses no danger, as it will pass at a safe distance of approximately 240 million kilometers from our planet.
Amateur astronomers may even have the chance to observe it with simple telescopes — or possibly with the naked eye — in the coming months as it approaches the Sun and grows brighter
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A mysterious visitor from the depths of space is approaching the Sun at an astonishing speed
Astronomers have discovered a mysterious object coming from outside the solar system, named '3I ATLAS.' makes it the third known interstellar visitor to humanity, after 'Oumuamua in 2017 and Borisov in 2019. The object, believed to be an interstellar comet, is hurtling toward the Sun at an incredible speed of over 210,000 km/h. It is expected to reach its closest point to the Sun in October 2025 before continuing its journey away from our solar system toward an unknown destination. What makes this new space visitor remarkable is that it might be the oldest interstellar object ever detected, according to researchers. This opens the door to significant scientific discoveries about the nature of comets that originated in distant galaxies or star systems. Within less than 24 hours of its detection, scientists confirmed that '3I ATLAS' does not originate from our solar system — a rare occurrence that raises many questions about its origin and composition. Early observations show it has a cloud of gas and ice similar to traditional comets, with an estimated size of about 24 kilometers, making it larger than any previously observed interstellar comet. As for any potential threat to Earth, NASA has reassured the public that it poses no danger, as it will pass at a safe distance of approximately 240 million kilometers from our planet. Amateur astronomers may even have the chance to observe it with simple telescopes — or possibly with the naked eye — in the coming months as it approaches the Sun and grows brighter
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