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Chilean Telescope Data Supports Comet Classification of Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS
Antofagasta, Chile - New observations from a Chilean telescope bolster the growing consensus that the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is a comet, revealing evidence of its active, comet-like nature as it journeys through our solar system. The findings, released by the National Space Foundation’s NoirLab, provide further validation of the object’s composition and behavior.Discovered earlier this year, 3I/ATLAS is onyl the third interstellar object detected passing through our solar system, following 1I/’Oumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019). Its arrival presents a rare possibility for scientists to study material originating from outside our solar system, offering clues about the formation and evolution of planetary systems beyond our own. While most scientists agree on its cometary nature, the object has been the subject of debate, with some proposing more unconventional origins.
NASA’s Webb Telescope recently analyzed 3I/ATLAS, identifying the presence of key molecules including carbon dioxide, water ice, carbon monoxide, water, and carbonyl sulfide. As of today, 3I/ATLAS is approximately 384 million kilometers from Earth and is predicted to make its closest approach to Mars on October 3rd, followed by a close flyby of Earth in December.
The cometary classification contrasts with claims made by Harvard professor Avi Loeb, who has suggested 3I/ATLAS could be an alien probe, perhaps nuclear-powered and capable of generating its own light. However, the latest data from the Chilean telescope and the Webb Telescope’s compositional analysis strongly support the object’s natural, cometary origins.
