It is confirmed: a 3rd interstellar object crosses the solar system

An object from the outside of the solar system has been spotted crossing it at full speed, making it the third interstellar visitor ever detected by humanity, confirmed astronomers.

This object, probably the largest ever observed, was classified among the comets by the center of minor planets of the International Astronomical Union.

Its appearance suggests that it is mainly ice rather than rock.

It does not present a risk of collision with the earth, said at theAFP The head of the planetary defense of the European Space Agency (ESA), Richard Moissl.

He will fly deep into the solar system, just passing inside the Mars orbit.

Astronomers are still specifying their calculations, but its speed seems to exceed 60 kilometers per second, more than 200,000 km/h. This means that it is not linked to the orbit of the sun.

His trajectory too Indicates that he is not in orbit around the sun, but that he comes from the interstellar space and will returnaccording to Richard Moissl.

Based in Hawaii in the United States, the ATLAS asteroid surveillance project funded by NASA, the American space agency, discovered the object on Tuesday, wrote American astronomer David Rankin on the Bluesky social network.

Professional astronomers and amateurs from around the world then searched in the data recorded by telescopes, reconstructing its trajectory since June 14.

The size of the object is currently estimated at 10 to 20 km in diameter. But it could be smaller if it is well made up of ice, which more reflects light.

He will shine more and more and approach the sun until the end of October, and will still be observable [par télescope] until next yeardetailed Richard Moissl.

Never two without three

It is the third object never observed from the interstellar space.

The first, Oumaumua, had been detected in 2017. It was so strange that at least a renowned scientist had finally convinced himself that it was an extraterrestrial vessel – his theory has since been denied by research.

The second interstellar racing car, 2i/Borisov, was detected in 2019.

This new visitor appears move much faster than the first two extraness objects that had been discoveredexplained to theAFP Mark Norris, astronomer at university Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom.

The object is currently almost at the same distance from the earth as Jupiterhe added.

According to modeling, there are up to 10,000 interstellar objects circulating at any time in the solar system, most of which would be smaller than the freshly discovered object, the scientist underlined.

If these models are correct, the new VERA C. Rubin observatory, located in Chile, could soon discover small interstellar travelers every month, he said.

It is impossible to send a spatial mission to intercept the new objectsaid Richard Moissl. But such an event nevertheless offers scientists a rare opportunity to study bodies from outside the solar system.

For example, if observations make it possible to detect on such an object precursors of life, such as amino acids, this will give researchers much more confidence in the fact that the conditions for the appearance of life exist in other stellar systemsillustrates Mark Norris.