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Gemini North Observes Comet 3I/ATLAS, the Third-Known Interstellar Object
SOLAR SYSTEM WITHIN JUPITER'S ORBIT, JUL 15 – Researchers estimate a two-thirds chance that 3I/ATLAS is older than the solar system and may grow a large tail as it nears the Sun in late 2025.
- 3I/ATLAS, formally designated Comet C/2025 N1 , was discovered on July 1 and confirmed as the third interstellar object, currently within Jupiter’s orbit about 465 million km from Earth.
- Our statistical method suggests that 3I/ATLAS is very likely to be the oldest comet we have ever seen, `Matthew Hopkins, study lead author and doctoral candidate at the University of Oxford, said`, indicating an origin within the Milky Way’s thick disk.
- Our measurements suggest a diameter up to 15 miles, making 3I/ATLAS unusually large for an interstellar object, the researchers wrote, and it could grow a large cometary tail in the coming months.
- The International Gemini Observatory’s scheduling agility has provided critical early characterization, Martin Still said, with the best time to see the comet likely in late 2025 and early 2026.
- Looking ahead, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory is expected to find up to 50 interstellar objects over the next decade, and studying its chemistry and dynamics will enhance understanding of planetesimal formation across the Milky Way’s disk.
20 Articles
20 Articles
The object 3I/ATLAS comes from the depths of space and moves rapidly through our solar system. New images now show the so-called coma of the missile.
Astronomer Says the Object Approaching Us From Beyond the Solar System Is Not What We Think
Earlier this month, astronomers were thrilled to spot an interstellar object — only the third of its kind ever observed — hurtling toward the center of the solar system on an extremely unusual trajectory and at a breakneck velocity. While we're only beginning to understand the unusual object, dubbed 3I/ATLAS, the discovery led to widespread speculation, with some scientists suggesting that it may be almost as old as the Milky Way galaxy itself, …
Gemini north observes comet 3I/ATLAS, the third-known interstellar object
Interstellar objects are visitors from solar systems beyond our own, and the third ever such object, known as 3I/ATLAS, has just been discovered. Using the Gemini North telescope, astronomers have captured 3I/ATLAS as it makes its temporary passage through our cosmic neighborhood. These observations will help scientists study the characteristics of this rare object's origin, orbit, and composition.
Newly-Discovered Interstellar Comet is Billions of Years Older Than the Solar System
All eyes are on the newly discovered interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, currently inbound to the inner solar system. Initial observations have revealed that it's rich in water ice, and it's believed that it originated from the Milky Way's thick disk, ancient stars that orbit above and below the galactic plane. This could mean that 3I/ATLAS is billions of years older than the Solar System, the oldest comet ever discovered. It should reveal more as it …
'Interstellar visitor' 3I/ATLAS could be the oldest comet ever seen — and could grow a spectacular tail later this year
New simulations have narrowed down where the newly discovered interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS likely came from, revealing it could be more than 3 billion years older than the solar system.
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