Latest news with #A11pI3Z
Scientific American
03-07-2025
- Science
- Scientific American
New Interstellar Object Stuns Scientists as It Zooms through Solar System
Late in the evening on July 1, a telescope in Chile that is part of the global, NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) picked up on a new moving dot in the sky, an object moving past the orbit of Jupiter. When Larry Denneau, software engineer at ATLAS, alerted the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center to the observation, 'it looked like a completely routine discovery.' That would soon change. To his surprise, the object—provisionally named A11pI3Z—turned out to be the third interstellar visitor known to science. Now, mere days after its discovery, frenzied follow-up work by astronomers around the world to further scrutinize A11pI3Z and look for additional apparitions in archival observations has given the object a new, more official name: Comet 3I/Atlas, for the telescope that first discovered it. What seems to have been the clinching evidence for its interstellar nature emerged from the efforts of a group of amateur astronomers, called the Deep Random Survey, who were first to track the object down in images other ATLAS telescopes had captured in late June. 'We had quite a bit of confusion from the get-go,' says Sam Deen, a member of the group. 'Our systems are usually tuned to expect that a new discovery is an object firmly stuck inside the solar system,' but Atlas was playing outside of those rules. The earlier observations—which soon also included 'pre-discovery' sightings from the Zwicky Transient Facility at Palomar Observatory in San Diego, California as well as other telescopes—allowed a more precise calculation of the object's trajectory. Whatever it was, the object was zooming down toward the inner solar system at almost 70 kilometers per second. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. That's 'far faster than any solar system object should be able to move,' Deen notes, because such speeds ensure objects will slip through the sun's gravitational grasp. Anything moving so quickly simply can't hang around long; rather than following a typical parabolic orbit, 3I/Atlas's blistering speed is carving out a hyperbolic orbit, a path that takes the object swooping through the inner solar system before soaring back out into the interstellar void. It most likely came from the outskirts of some other planetary system, ejected from its tenuous twirling around some alien sun by gravitational interactions with a giant planet or another passing star. Exactly where it came from and when it began its galactic journey, however, no one can say. There is no threat to Earth, as during its brief sojourn in the solar system 3I/Atlas is projected to come no nearer than about 240 million kilometers to our planet. The object will make its closest approach to the sun on October 30, reaching a distance of about 210 million kilometers, just within the orbit of Mars. As it approaches in coming months, astronomers will intensify their studies, hoping to learn more about this mysterious visitor. What's already relatively clear, however, is 3I/Atlas's cometary nature; more than 100 observations have now trickled in from telescopes around the globe, including some that show hints the object is enveloped in a cloud of gas and dust and trailing a tail of debris as ices on its surface warm in the sun's radiance. Astronomers normally use a distant object's brightness as a proxy for its size, with brighter objects tending to be bigger as well. But a comet's ejected material is usually bright, too, interfering with such crude estimates. Consequently, 'right now we really don't know how big it is; it could be anywhere from 5 to 50 kilometers in diameter,' Denneau says. Closer looks with more powerful observatories, including the keen-eyed infrared James Webb Space Telescope, should soon help clarify its dimensions and also its composition. 'I am interested in whether the comet looks like objects from our own solar system,' Denneau says. 'The answer is interesting either way. If it has the same composition as a normal comet, it means that other solar systems may be built similarly to ours. If it's completely different, then we might wonder why that is.' The first interstellar object observed, 1I/' Oumuamua, appeared on the scene in 2017 and perplexed researchers with its oddly elongated shape and a bizarrely accelerating trajectory. Those strange features led some researchers to propose an idea— now convincingly debunked —that 'Oumuamua was a derelict alien spacecraft adrift in the Milky Way. Then in 2019 came the second observed interstellar object, 2I/Borisov, which bore all the hallmarks of a run-of-the-mill comet and thus inspired few if any outlandish claims of alien involvement. '[ATLAS] will be a tiebreaker of sorts,' says Mario Juric, an astronomer at the University of Washington and discovery software lead at the recently completed Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile. '[Will it] give us a sense 'Oumuamua was the odd one out, or is the universe a lot more interesting than we imagined?' Rubin— a unique telescope with a panoramic view that will survey the entire overhead sky every few days—is seen as especially critical for solving the lingering mysteries of these first emissaries from interstellar space. As the observatory's survey progresses in months and years to come, it should uncover many more visitors from the great beyond, allowing astronomers to begin studying them as a population rather than scattered, isolated one-offs. Ultimately, if Rubin or another facility manages to spot an interstellar object fortuitously poised to pass relatively close to Earth, astronomers might even be able to gain an extremely close-up view via a spacecraft rendezvous. The European Space Agency (ESA) already has such a mission in the works, in fact—Comet Interceptor, a sentinel spacecraft set to launch as early as 2029 to await some inbound destination. 'There is a small chance that Comet Interceptor might be able to visit an interstellar object if one is found on the right trajectory, and the new Vera C. Rubin observatory should give us an increased rate of discovery of these objects,' says Colin Snodgrass, an astronomer at the University of Edinburgh who is part of the ESA mission. All of which has astronomers on the edges of their seats, eager to dive deeper into a new frontier in our cosmic understanding. 'This is probably the most excited I've been about any astronomical discovery in years,' Deen says.
Extra.ie
03-07-2025
- Science
- Extra.ie
Mystery surrounding new ‘interstellar' object zooming through our solar system
A mysterious object from outside our solar system has been spotted by astronomers — and is heading our way. The discovery was made by astronomer Sam Deen back in June, with the object becoming known as A11pl3Z. While astronomers and physicists are not sure what exactly the object is, it's been reported that it's 12 miles wide. Today's top videos STORY CONTINUES BELOW Harvard physicist Avi Loeb said that the object is expected to fly by Earth around December 17, at more than 41 miles per second (150,000mph). 3rd interstellar object discovered? Maybe. There's a lot of buzz right now in the Astro community. More observations should come in tonight to confirm if A11pI3Z is from beyond the solar system. July 2, 2025 For those who may be thinking that this object will finally be what wipes out humanity, fear not — as the speed at which the object will fly by Earth means that it will be moving too fast to get caught in the solar system's gravitational pull. While on its current trajectory, the object is expected to come only within 2.4 astronomical units of Earth (and while that sounds close, it's actually 223million miles), but the size of the object is what's raising eyebrows. The object is far bigger than the last two otherworldly comets that flew past Earth — Oumuamua, which was approximately 300 to 1,300 feet long, and the Borisov comet, which was around half a mile (approx 800 metres) in diameter. The comet seen via telescope. Pic: Filipp Romanov Despite the mystery surrounding what it is, some scientists have speculated that it's man made and sent from another solar system that may have intelligent life — something that was echoed after Oumuamua flew past Earth in 2017, and wasn't a known comet. 'It was inferred to have a disk-like shape and to exhibit non-gravitational acceleration, raising the possibility of an artificial origin,' Mr Loeb wrote in an article earlier this week. 'The second reported interstellar object, Borisov, appeared like a familiar natural comet.' Despite the alarming size of A11pl3Z at this time, Mr Loeb adds that it may be smaller; and have a small core that's surrounded by a bright cloud of gas and dust, reflecting sunlight that would make the mass appear larger.
The Age
03-07-2025
- Science
- The Age
Astronomers investigate mystery ‘interstellar' object speeding through our solar system
'Now we've got dozens and dozens of observations from loads of different people,' said Matthew Payne, director of the Minor Planet Centre. 'And so it's like becoming almost 100 per cent certain that it's interstellar.' The object is surprisingly bright. Although it cannot be seen by the naked eye, modest-sized telescopes can spot it. 'This is the most interesting question in my mind right now,' said Avi Loeb, an astrophysicist at Harvard. 'What accounts for its very significant brightness?' That is especially intriguing if the surface turns out to be dark, like that of a rocky asteroid. In that case, the object would have to be big, about 19 kilometres wide, to reflect the amount of light observed. That would be larger than the asteroid that slammed into Earth 66 million years ago, which unleashed the mass extinction that killed off the dinosaurs. Finding an interstellar object that big would be a surprise, Loeb said. It would possess about 10 million times the mass of Oumuamua, he said. Loading Because small bodies are much more bountiful than large ones, the existence of a 19-kilometre-wide interstellar object would imply that astronomers should have also seen millions of Oumuamua-sized ones. A11pI3Z could turn out to be an interstellar comet like Borisov, the second interstellar object observed. For a comet, the brightness comes from sunlight bouncing off a plume of gas and dust, and the nucleus would be considerably smaller. 'If we find that it's a comet, nothing surprising here,' Loeb said. Loeb offered one other possibility. 'The final possibility, and I'm getting more speculative here, is that it makes its own light,' he said. 'Probably unlikely, but this is what comes to my mind.' When Oumuamua was discovered in 2017, Loeb speculated that it could be an alien artifact because of its unusual shape, like a cigar or a disc, and because it seemed to be pushed by a force other than gravity. He has since proposed a possible alien origin for odd material found on the seafloor of the Pacific. 'The good thing about this object is because it's bright, it will give us so much data that nobody would be able to deny it. If it has anomalies, nobody can shove them under the carpet of conventional thinking.' Avi Loeb, Harvard astrophysicist Whether it is a comet or a rock is a question that should be answered within a few days as larger telescopes point to A11pI3Z. If it is a comet, astronomers will see a tail. Astronomers will also have months to study it. Analysis of specific colours emitted could identify elements and molecules on its surface. Loeb said infrared measurements by the James Webb Space Telescope could measure how much heat was coming off the surface. 'If the object is tumbling, we would see the surface area changing over time,' Loeb said, 'and by that, infer, in three dimensions, the shape of the object. That'd be very exciting.' In contrast, the smaller Oumuamua faded out of view after only a few weeks, leaving many of its mysteries unsolved. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, which will soon begin scanning the full sky every three to four days, should find more interstellar objects, even further away. This will provide a more complete view of the interstellar objects passing through our solar system. Something that no one will need to worry about is A11pI3Z hitting Earth. In October, when it makes its closest pass to the sun, it appears that A11pI3Z will still be outside the orbit of Mars. In addition, Earth will be on the other side of the sun, so there will be more than 200 million miles of buffer between Earth and A11pI3Z. If A11pI3Z turns out not to be a comet, astronomers could be left with a lot of perplexing puzzles to solve. 'The good thing about this object is because it's bright, it will give us so much data that nobody would be able to deny it,' Loeb said. 'If it has anomalies, nobody can shove them under the carpet of conventional thinking. 'Science is about discovering things you don't expect. It's the opportunity to stay a child and learn something new. And I love it,' he added.
Sydney Morning Herald
03-07-2025
- Science
- Sydney Morning Herald
Astronomers investigate mystery ‘interstellar' object speeding through our solar system
'Now we've got dozens and dozens of observations from loads of different people,' said Matthew Payne, director of the Minor Planet Centre. 'And so it's like becoming almost 100 per cent certain that it's interstellar.' The object is surprisingly bright. Although it cannot be seen by the naked eye, modest-sized telescopes can spot it. 'This is the most interesting question in my mind right now,' said Avi Loeb, an astrophysicist at Harvard. 'What accounts for its very significant brightness?' That is especially intriguing if the surface turns out to be dark, like that of a rocky asteroid. In that case, the object would have to be big, about 19 kilometres wide, to reflect the amount of light observed. That would be larger than the asteroid that slammed into Earth 66 million years ago, which unleashed the mass extinction that killed off the dinosaurs. Finding an interstellar object that big would be a surprise, Loeb said. It would possess about 10 million times the mass of Oumuamua, he said. Loading Because small bodies are much more bountiful than large ones, the existence of a 19-kilometre-wide interstellar object would imply that astronomers should have also seen millions of Oumuamua-sized ones. A11pI3Z could turn out to be an interstellar comet like Borisov, the second interstellar object observed. For a comet, the brightness comes from sunlight bouncing off a plume of gas and dust, and the nucleus would be considerably smaller. 'If we find that it's a comet, nothing surprising here,' Loeb said. Loeb offered one other possibility. 'The final possibility, and I'm getting more speculative here, is that it makes its own light,' he said. 'Probably unlikely, but this is what comes to my mind.' When Oumuamua was discovered in 2017, Loeb speculated that it could be an alien artifact because of its unusual shape, like a cigar or a disc, and because it seemed to be pushed by a force other than gravity. He has since proposed a possible alien origin for odd material found on the seafloor of the Pacific. 'The good thing about this object is because it's bright, it will give us so much data that nobody would be able to deny it. If it has anomalies, nobody can shove them under the carpet of conventional thinking.' Avi Loeb, Harvard astrophysicist Whether it is a comet or a rock is a question that should be answered within a few days as larger telescopes point to A11pI3Z. If it is a comet, astronomers will see a tail. Astronomers will also have months to study it. Analysis of specific colours emitted could identify elements and molecules on its surface. Loeb said infrared measurements by the James Webb Space Telescope could measure how much heat was coming off the surface. 'If the object is tumbling, we would see the surface area changing over time,' Loeb said, 'and by that, infer, in three dimensions, the shape of the object. That'd be very exciting.' In contrast, the smaller Oumuamua faded out of view after only a few weeks, leaving many of its mysteries unsolved. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, which will soon begin scanning the full sky every three to four days, should find more interstellar objects, even further away. This will provide a more complete view of the interstellar objects passing through our solar system. Something that no one will need to worry about is A11pI3Z hitting Earth. In October, when it makes its closest pass to the sun, it appears that A11pI3Z will still be outside the orbit of Mars. In addition, Earth will be on the other side of the sun, so there will be more than 200 million miles of buffer between Earth and A11pI3Z. If A11pI3Z turns out not to be a comet, astronomers could be left with a lot of perplexing puzzles to solve. 'The good thing about this object is because it's bright, it will give us so much data that nobody would be able to deny it,' Loeb said. 'If it has anomalies, nobody can shove them under the carpet of conventional thinking. 'Science is about discovering things you don't expect. It's the opportunity to stay a child and learn something new. And I love it,' he added.
New York Times
02-07-2025
- Science
- New York Times
It Came From Outside Our Solar System, and It Might Be Big
For only the third time, astronomers have found something passing through our solar system that looks like it came from outside the solar system. This interstellar object, with a temporary, cumbersome designation of A11pI3Z, is still pretty far from the sun, located between the orbits of the asteroid belt and Jupiter. The first known interstellar object was Oumuamua, which raced through the solar system in 2017. In 2019, Borisov, a comet of interstellar origin, passed by. On Tuesday, a telescope in Chile spotted what initially looked like an unknown asteroid on a highly eccentric path that might come close to Earth's orbit. The telescope is one of five around the world that are part of the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS, which is a NASA-funded project that watches for space rocks that might be on a collision course with our planet. The observation was submitted to the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center, which maintains a catalog of small space bodies in the solar system. Other skywatchers quickly took a look. 'Follow-up observations on July 1 and 2 began to reveal that its orbit might be unusual, possibly interstellar,' said Larry Denneau, a co-principal investigator for ATLAS, which was developed by the University of Hawaii. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
