Interstellar visitor spotted is only the third: One of the other two appeared to be an 'alien vessel'

An interstellar object has been spotted moving at a speed of 60km/sec in the solar system, only the third such object ever discovered. That doesn't mean there aren't other such bodies that have visited us from outer space. However, it is hard to detect all of them. This intruder is the largest interstellar object seen zooming inside our solar system. Since it is not orbiting the Sun, it is not bound by its rules. Which means it is free to do what it wants and travel wherever it wishes to. Could this rogue behaviour bring it towards Earth? Does this strange object pose a danger to us or the other planets? The object has been designated 3I/Atlas by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center. It has been classified as a comet after it was detected by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey in Hawaii on Tuesday.

How long has the interstellar comet been inside the solar system?

As soon as the news broke, amateur astronomers zoomed in on the comet and found that it had been there for over 15 days. Its trajectory was traced back to June 14. Scientists say that the comet is mostly ice and not rock. The object was initially believed to have originated inside the solar system. At the time, it was known as A11pl3Z. However, calculations showed that it is on a journey from outer space. Its trajectory was the tell-tale sign, as it did not follow the orbits most comets inside the solar system are on. Richard Moissl, head of planetary defence at the European Space Agency, said that its trajectory "means it's not orbiting our star, but coming from interstellar space and flying off to there again." Also Read: City killer asteroid can shoot meteorites like bullets at Earth in 2032. Who is at risk?

Can the comet crash into Earth?

He also told AFP that the comet does not pose a threat to Earth. However, experts are planning to keep a check on its trajectory since that could change at any time. Right now, it is estimated to pass just inside the orbit of Mars and fly deep through the Solar System. It is travelling at a super speed of 60 kilometres (37 miles) a second. Scientists have also proposed the reasons for this cosmic body going rogue and entering a system that is unknown to it. According to Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, these tiny balls of ice are formed based on the associated star systems. However, if another star passes by, it "tugs on the ice ball, frees it out. It goes rogue, wanders through the galaxy, and now this one is just passing us." Also Read: Invisible murderer in space reveals its location with a 'cosmic burp'. It is an anomaly

Also Read: Giant comet from Oort cloud spotted moving at insane speed inside solar system. Will it reach Earth?

How to see the interstellar comet? Where is it visible?

The comet is 10-20 kilometres wide, making it the largest interstellar object yet observed. However, since it is made of ice, it could be reflecting light, giving the illusion that it is larger. The comet is going to be in the solar system for a long time. "It will get brighter and closer to the Sun until late October and then still be observable (by telescope) until next year," Moissl said. The newest entrant is moving much faster than the other two interstellar bodies. Right now, it is only visible in the Southern Hemisphere

How many objects have come from outer space?

The first interstellar visitor was Oumuamua, discovered in 2017. It had a strange shape and appeared to be an alien vessel. An astronomer even proposed that it really could be a vehicle used by extraterrestrial beings. However, the elongated orb turned out to be a space rock and nothing more. The second interstellar visitor was 2I/Borisov, spotted in 2019. Astronomers from Yale University observed the comet and said that its tail alone was 14 times the size of Earth. They called it "humbling to realise how small Earth is next to this visitor from another solar system."

However, there could be at least 10,000 such objects travelling in the solar system at any point in time, Mark Norris, an astronomer at the UK's University of Central Lancashire, told AFP. He has his hopes pinned on the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, which could detect them almost every month.