Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Approaches Solar System, Sparks Speculation

Santa Cruz, California — An interstellar visitor, the comet 3I/ATLAS, is speeding toward our sun, offering scientists a rare chance to study an object from outside our solar system. It is expected to reach its closest point to the sun by late October.

The comet was first discovered in 2020, and it is only the third known interstellar object to traverse our solar system. Its extreme speed and unusual features have led to speculation about extraterrestrial origins.

Jameeka Marshall, an astronomer at UC Santa Cruz, explained that the comet has sparked the public’s imagination. “Could this be something that aliens — another civilization — sent to us? That has been starting a conversation,” she told LAist.

Marshall leads the ‘Shadow the Scientists’ program, which allows the public to observe astronomers in real-time as they conduct research. One of the leading scientists in this initiative, Raja GuhaThakurta, emphasized the importance of evidence-based research over sensational speculation. “This kind of sensationalism ends up ultimately… causing people to lose faith in more serious, evidence-based research and science,” he said.

As the comet approaches, it will lose material, transforming it into gas, which scientists can analyze to understand its chemical composition better. “When we have interstellar comets and asteroids, then they’re telling us about the chemical composition of things beyond the solar system,” GuhaThakurta added.

Although the comet won’t be visible to the naked eye, interested individuals can learn more during Shadow the Scientists sessions on September 25 and late November, where experts will discuss the comet’s features and significance.