Astronomers Baffled by Interstellar object Spotted by Mars Orbiter
WASHINGTON – An object originating from outside our solar system has been detected by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), sparking both excitement and caution within the astronomical community. The potential interstellar visitor, comet 3I/ATLAS, was first observed stretching into a light trace across multiple images captured over ten minutes by a ground-based camera, suggesting a small object moving rapidly.
The MRO’s HiRISE camera, renowned for its high-resolution imagery, captured a photograph of the object on October 3. However, the image remains unpublished as scientists meticulously analyze the data to confirm the sighting and rule out potential artifacts or atmospheric phenomena. Some astronomers urge caution, suggesting the visible object could be an optical artifact or an atmospheric effect.
Avi Loeb, a researcher following the discovery, believes even a single luminous pixel from the HiRISE image could provide crucial data to determine the object’s true size. His calculations estimate the object to be approximately 5 km in diameter and weigh 33 billion tonnes.
The sighting is considered exceptionally rare, likened to encountering a shark in the mountains – an improbable but real event. While the hirise data processing is ongoing, requiring comparison with other readings to ensure accuracy, the potential confirmation of 3I/ATLAS’s presence raises fundamental questions about its composition and origin.Is it a comet, an asteroid, or something entirely unknown? Some researchers have even proposed the possibility of a technological artifact, a hypothesis that remains highly debated.
