Astronomers may have discovered 3rd-known interstellar visitor
Our solar system seems to be attracting more visitors from outer space, with astronomers potentially discovering a third interstellar object that originated beyond our own solar system. The first interstellar object, named ‘Oumuamua, was identified in 2017, followed by a comet called 2I Borisov.
The latest object, temporarily named A11pl3Z by the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center, was spotted using the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey telescope, which serves as an early warning system for asteroid impacts. Fortunately, A11pl3Z is not considered a threat to Earth.
Professor Paul Weigert from Western University’s department of physics and astronomy in London, Ont., mentioned, “We now have observations that indicate its orbit is clearly interstellar. It’s traveling too fast to be bound to the sun, so it likely originated from outside our solar system.” The exact nature of A11pl3Z, whether it is an asteroid or a comet, remains unknown.
Similar to ‘Oumuamua, which was initially thought to be an asteroid but later confirmed as a comet, further observations will determine the true nature of A11pl3Z. The object’s high eccentricity, estimated to be six, suggests that it may have come from beyond our solar system, possibly from the Oort Cloud.
As of now, A11pl3Z is beyond Mars’ orbit and approaching Jupiter’s orbit, expected to reach its closest point to Earth in October before departing the solar system. Estimated to be approximately 10 kilometers across, A11pl3Z is believed to be the largest of the three interstellar objects discovered so far.
Despite its intriguing origins, A11pl3Z does not exhibit any unusual behavior, ruling out the possibility of it being an Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) or Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP). Major telescopes are now focused on studying A11pl3Z, with the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile recently becoming operational and expected to discover more interstellar objects annually.
The increasing detection of interstellar objects can be attributed to advancements in telescope technology, allowing astronomers to survey deeper into space. For researchers like Weigert, studying these objects up close presents an exciting opportunity to unravel the mysteries of our universe and the cosmic visitors passing through our solar system.
