Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS displays an expanding tail in new scientific findings; researchers hail it as a significant breakthrough and a mesmerizing spectacle (pictures, footage)
The astronomical community is abuzz with excitement as they prepare for the upcoming observation of Comet 3I/ATLAS. This interstellar intruder, discovered on July 1, 2020, by the ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System), offers a unique opportunity to study material from another planetary system.
Comets like 3I/ATLAS, when they approach the sun, undergo a fascinating transformation. Solar radiation heats the ices at their hearts, causing them to change directly into gas in a process called "sublimation". This results in the comet expressing more material and its tail becoming longer.
On August 27, 2022, astronomers captured an image of Comet 3I/ATLAS with a growing tail using the Gemini South telescope in Chile. The team, led by the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy, in collaboration with the Shadow the Scientists initiative, documented the comet's wide coma and its tail, which stretched out for around 1/120th of a degree in the sky.
The new observations of Comet 3I/ATLAS suggest that it emits specific wavelengths of light, providing clues to the composition and sizes of the dust particles in its coma. The spectrum of Comet 3I/ATLAS also reveals its chemical contents, which are similar to those of comets originating in the solar system. This indicates that the processes that formed the solar system's planets may be common to other planetary systems.
The primary objectives of the observations are to study the colours of the comet, which provide clues to the composition and sizes of the dust particles in the coma, and to take spectra for a direct measure of the chemistry. The observations in November 2025, when the Gemini South telescope will observe Comet 3I/ATLAS again, are highly anticipated for the critical scientific data they are expected to yield.
Comet 3I/ATLAS is the third-ever object found drifting through our solar system that is believed to have originated from around another star. The previous two interstellar intruders were 'Oumuamua (officially designated 1I/2017 U1) and 2I/Borisov, discovered in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
These interstellar objects provide scientists with a rare opportunity to study material from another planetary system, shedding light on the diversity of worlds beyond our own solar system. Astronomers believe that Comet 3I/ATLAS is 'very likely to be the oldest comet we have ever seen'.
In conclusion, the observation of Comet 3I/ATLAS is a significant event in the field of astronomy. Its unique characteristics and potential to provide valuable insights into the diversity of worlds beyond our solar system make it an exciting subject of study for scientists and enthusiasts alike. The upcoming observations in November 2025 promise to yield even more critical data, furthering our understanding of the universe and its mysteries.
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