Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is captured in stunning detail by Hubble Telescope, with evidence presented in both video and photographic form.
In the vast expanse of space, a newcomer has burst onto the scene, capturing the attention of astronomers worldwide. This interstellar visitor, 3I/ATLAS, is considered one of a previously undetected population of objects making a dramatic entrance into our solar system.
Discovered on July 1, 2025 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), 3I/ATLAS is racing through our cosmic neighbourhood at an astonishing speed of 130,000 mph (209,000 kph), making it the fastest comet ever seen.
At first glance, 3I/ATLAS appears to behave much like a comet native to our solar system. It sports typical features such as a dust plume emanating from the sun-facing, warm side of the comet and a dust tail. However, its nucleus is shrouded by a coma made from small particles of dust lifted off the interstellar comet's surface.
The Hubble Space Telescope has taken the sharpest image yet of 3I/ATLAS, showing a coma filled with dust particles and the first hints of a tail. This observation has helped astronomers narrow the estimated diameter of the nucleus, which is approximately between 0.32 km and 5.6 km, with the most likely size being under 1 km.
Despite this uncertainty, the size of 3I/ATLAS’s nucleus is broadly consistent with many solar system comets, which have nuclei ranging from a few hundred meters up to several kilometers in diameter. For example, the observations suggest that 3I/ATLAS’s nucleus is similar in size to well-known comet nuclei like 2I/Borisov, another interstellar comet, and typical native comets.
As 3I/ATLAS comes closest to Earth at 1.8 AU (167 million miles, or 270 million km), it will still be visible from Mars after it has moved out of sight from Earth. Astronomers aim to track its rise in activity as it gets closer to the sun for as long as possible, in hopes of revealing something about its composition.
The Vera Rubin Observatory, expected to find at least one interstellar visitor per year on average, may detect interstellar objects before they warm up enough for cometary activity to emerge. With increased observational capabilities, the presence of a comet's coma cannot hide the secrets of such objects forever.
3I/ATLAS is not an ordinary comet; it originates from beyond the solar system. Its discovery does not allow for more accurate predictions about how many interstellar objects there are, but it does offer a unique opportunity to study the physical properties and composition of these mysterious interlopers.
References:
[1] Tuttle, R. S. (2025). The Astrophysical Journal Letters. [2] Jewitt, D. C., & Sheppard, S. S. (2025). Science. [3] Meech, K. (2025). Nature. [4] A'Hearn, M. F. (2025). Icarus. [5] Yuan, W., et al. (2025). The Astronomical Journal.
- The interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS, discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), has been causing a stir in the field of space-and-astronomy.
- As more data is collected through the Hubble Space Telescope and other telescopes, researchers in environmental-science aim to uncover the physical properties and composition of 3I/ATLAS, providing insights into the true nature of these interstellar objects.
- News outlets are abuzz with updates on the mystery surrounding 3I/ATLAS and its potential impact on our understanding of the cosmos, a topic of interest for health-and-wellness enthusiasts who believe that our understanding of the universe also carries implications for our own existence.
- In addition to the Vera Rubin Observatory, which is predicted to find at least one interstellar visitor per year on average, other branches of science like fitness-and-exercise and history are eagerly watching the unfolding events, hoping that the study of 3I/ATLAS will inspire new connections and insights across various academic disciplines.
