Thriller interstellar object could possibly be the oldest identified comet

[ad_1] A thriller interstellar object noticed final week by astronomers could possibly be the oldest comet ever seen, in accordance with scientists.

Named 3I/Atlas, it could be three billion years older than our personal photo voltaic system, suggests the workforce from Oxford college.

It's only the third time now we have detected an object that has come from past our photo voltaic system.

The preliminary findings had been offered on Friday on the nationwide assembly of the UK's Royal Astronomical Society in Durham.

"We're all very excited by 3I/Atlas," College of Oxford astronomer Matthew Hopkins advised BBC Information. He had simply completed his PhD research when the item was found.

He says it could possibly be greater than seven billion years outdated, and it could be essentially the most exceptional interstellar customer but.

3I/Atlas was first noticed on 1 July 2025 by the ATLAS survey telescope in Chile, when it was about 670 million km from the Solar.

Since then astronomers world wide have been racing to determine its path and uncover extra particulars about it.

Mr Hopkins believes it originated within the Milky Manner's 'thick disk'. It is a group of historical stars that orbit above and under the world the place the Solar and most stars are situated.

The workforce imagine that as a result of 3I/ATLAS most likely fashioned round an outdated star, it's made up of a number of water ice.

That signifies that because it approaches the Solar later this yr, the vitality from the Solar will warmth the item's floor, resulting in blazes of vapour and mud.

That would create a glowing tail.

The researchers made their findings utilizing a mannequin developed by Mr Hopkins.

"That is an object from part of the galaxy we have by no means seen up shut earlier than," mentioned Professor Chris Lintott, co-author of the research.

"We expect there is a two-thirds probability this comet is older than the photo voltaic system, and that it has been drifting by interstellar house ever since."

Later this yr, 3I/ATLAS ought to be seen from Earth utilizing novice telescopes.

Earlier than 3I/Atlas soared into view, simply two others had been seen. One was known as 1I/'Oumuamua, present in 2017 and one other known as 2I/Borisov, found in 2019.

Astronomers globally are presently gearing as much as begin utilizing a brand new, very highly effective telescope in Chile, known as the Vera C Rubin.

When it begins totally surveying the southern evening sky later this yr, scientists count on that it might uncover between 5 and 50 new interstellar objects.