Mikhail Maslov from the Vega Observatory at the University of Novosibirsk points out that it is not unlikely that comet 3I/Atlas, which is still the subject of scientific controversy about its origin, came to the solar system from another star system as a result of gravitational disturbances.

It should be noted that Comet 3I/Atlas is the third interstellar object discovered by astronomers in the history of observation, and its path to reach our solar system is still unclear.

Maslov says: “It is not possible to determine the star from which it came, because its age is estimated at billions of years, and during this period it traveled a very long distance in its orbit around the center of the galaxy. It is likely that it was expelled from a star system as a result of gravitational disturbances as it approached a large planet in that system or from the star itself.”

He explained that the main feature of this comet is the shape of its hyperbolic orbit, unlike most objects associated with the Sun whose orbits are elliptical or nearly parabolic. 3I/Atlas also had a high speed as it passed through the Oort Cloud, and its acceleration within the solar system increased, indicating that it was likely coming from another star system.

Maslov added: “The comet may have entered the solar system by chance during its long journey through the galaxy, and it will continue its path after passing through our system. Unlike solar comets, it will not remain in the Oort cloud, and it is currently impossible to accurately determine its origin or the star from which it launched.”

The researcher pointed out that this comet deserves great scientific attention, because monitoring and studying 3I/Atlas allows scientists to study the structure and dynamics of an object that came from a very distant place in the galaxy, which gives rare insights into interstellar objects.

Source: TASS

Comet 3I/ATLAS escapes solar plasma

The Solar Astronomy Laboratory at the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences reported that comet 3I/ATLAS remained intact after it was expected to collide with solar plasma.