Courtesy: Gemini South Telescope
Astronomers are buzzing after new images showed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS sprouting a tail as it speeds into the solar system. The object, roughly 11 kilometers wide, is only the third confirmed interstellar visitor after ‘Oumuamua in 2017 and Comet Borisov in 2019. Using the Gemini South telescope in Chile, scientists observed a bright coma and a thin streak of gas and dust trailing behind, a sign the Sun’s heat is already starting to vaporize its surface, as reported by the BBC.
Unlike most comets, 3I/ATLAS wasn’t born here. It’s thought to have been ejected from a distant star system and is now moving at over 130,000 miles per hour. That sheer speed confirms its interstellar origin, since it’s far too fast to be bound by the Sun’s gravity. According to Live Science, the comet’s tail will likely lengthen as it draws closer to the Sun, reaching maximum activity around late October.
The comet will reach perihelion – the closest point to the Sun – on October 29. Unfortunately, it will be behind the Sun from Earth’s perspective, making it difficult to observe at that exact moment. By December, however, 3I/ATLAS will swing closer to Earth, passing at a distance of about 170 million miles, giving astronomers a clearer shot at studying it.
What makes this comet particularly exciting is what it might reveal about other solar systems. Early analysis suggests higher levels of carbon dioxide and water than expected, which could provide fresh clues about how planetary systems beyond our own form and evolve. Scientists believe that by comparing its chemistry to that of comets native to our solar system, we may get insights into whether the processes that shaped Earth are common in other parts of the galaxy.
Karen Meech, one of the lead astronomers tracking 3I/ATLAS, called the sighting “a rare scientific gift.” She added that catching an interstellar object in mid-transformation – sprouting a tail as it heats up – is a chance to study universal physics in real time. For now, 3I/ATLAS is putting on a show that reminds us just how dynamic and connected the cosmos really is.
