Hubble Space Telescope Spotted Comet 3I/ATLAS Again

Space enthusiasts and astronomers alike are eager to observe 3I/ATLAS, the third-known interstellar object to traverse our solar system. This comet has also earned the title of the fastest ever recorded, speeding at 130,000 miles per hour as it approaches its nearest point to Earth.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has recently captured a new image of the comet. On November 30, Hubbles Wide Field Camera 3 photographed 3I/ATLAS when it was approximately 178 million miles away. The comet appears prominently in the center of the image, while the background stars are slightly blurred due to its remarkable velocity.

3I/ATLAS was first detected in July, prompting NASA to direct Hubble toward it for closer study. Since then, scientists have been analyzing this cosmic visitor. Current estimates suggest the comet measures between 0.2 and 3.5 miles across and may feature icy cryovolcanoes on its surface.

The comet's extreme speed also offers clues about its long history. Achieving such velocity likely required multiple gravitational interactions with stars, planets, and other objects in the galaxy, suggesting that 3I/ATLAS is billions of years old, possibly originating from a distant region of the Milky Way after breaking off from a proto-planet.

3I/ATLAS will soon swing past the Sun before continuing its journey out of our solar system. Its return to Earths vicinity wont occur for thousands of years, making each observation an extraordinary opportunity to study this rare interstellar visitor.

Author: Jackson Miller