<a href="https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/astronomers-spot-interstellar-visitor-a-comet-blazing-through-our-solar-system-just-the-third-ever-seen/" target="_blank">View original image source</a>.
If you thought your last road trip was fast, check this out: astronomers have spotted an interstellar comet zooming through our solar system at an unimaginable speed of 137,000 miles per hour! Dubbed 3I/ATLAS, it’s just the third interstellar object to make an appearance since we first witnessed Oumuamua in 2017 and Borisov in 2019. Discovered on July 1st by the ATLAS Project, this icy traveler is sweeping through the cosmos between the main asteroid belt and Jupiter, leaving scientists buzzing with excitement.
What makes this all the more intriguing is the fact that 3I seems to be on a direct path out of our solar system—no messy confrontations here! It’s basically waving goodbye as it makes its escape. And with an estimated size of around 12 miles across, it’s a quirky reminder of just how small we really are in this vast universe. Let’s be honest, if this comet had a social media account, it’d be posting selfies with the caption “Catch you never!”
The discovery also ramps up the importance of the soon-to-be-launched Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which promises to revolutionize our understanding of the cosmic landscape. As it prepares to track and image our night sky every few nights for the next decade, it raises the question: are we ready for the flood of interstellar visitors to come? What would you name a comet if you had the chance? Share your creative thoughts!
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