[Regnum] Astronomers have discovered an interstellar object flying through the Solar System. This has only happened twice before, the EarthSky portal reported, citing the Minor Planet Center (MPC), an international organization for observing small celestial bodies.
The object, originally known as A11pl3Z, originated outside the solar system, according to its trajectory. Now called 3I/ATLAS or C/2025 N1, it most closely resembles a comet, but could also be an asteroid.
"A recently discovered space object has been given a new designation - 3I/ATLAS. The letter I stands for interstellar. So we have a guest from another solar system!" the article says.
The celestial body, which may be up to 20 kilometers in diameter, is rapidly approaching the Sun. The object is expected to make its closest approach to the Sun in October, when it will be within the orbit of Mars. It is currently within the orbit of Jupiter. There are no concerns that 3I/ATLAS will approach Earth.
"It's very shy"
A11pl3Z was discovered on July 1 by the ATLAS automated telescope network, which NASA uses to track potentially hazardous celestial bodies in the solar system.
Before this, astronomers knew about two other interstellar objects: the asteroid 1I/Oumuamua and comet 2I/Borisov. The first was discovered in the fall of 2017, its name translated from Hawaiian means " messenger from afar." The second object was discovered in 2019 by Russian amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov. Both objects have already left the Solar System.
As reported by IA Regnum, scientists previously suggested that a possible collision of asteroid 2024 YR4 with the Moon would result in the formation of a large number of fragments that would destroy many satellites in Earth's orbit. This could happen in 2032, but the probability of such an event is estimated as small.