A team of NASA astronomers in Hawaii has discovered a third interstellar object hurtling through our solar system at an extraordinary speed. The object, named 3I/ATLAS, is traveling at over 60 kilometers per second, or more than 216,000 kilometers per hour. This discovery marks only the third time an object from another star system has been observed in our cosmic neighborhood.

The origin of 3I/ATLAS remains unknown, but its interstellar nature is confirmed, meaning it does not originate from our solar system. The object is estimated to be between ten and 20 kilometers in diameter and is believed to be a comet-like object, composed of dust, rocks, and ice. Astronomers suggest the blurring observed indicates a primarily icy composition rather than mostly rock.

The discovery was made at the Atlas Observatory in Hawaii, which monitors the sky for near-Earth objects. 3I/ATLAS is expected to pass between the orbits of Earth and Mars this autumn, but at a safe distance from our planet. Currently, its distance from Earth is comparable to that of Jupiter.

The first interstellar object, Oumuamua, was discovered in 2017, sparking speculation about its nature, including a controversial suggestion by Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb that it could be an alien spaceship. While consensus leans towards Oumuamua being a natural object, the possibility of artificial origin was considered due to its unusual elongated shape, hard surface, and acceleration as it approached the Sun.

Astrophysicist Michael Linden-Vørnle suggests that 3I/ATLAS, like the second interstellar object discovered in 2019, is also likely a comet-like object. While acknowledging the remote possibility of an alien probe, he believes a comet-like nature suggests similar conditions in other star systems. The ejection of such objects from their original star systems is likely due to gravitational disruptions, such as close encounters between stars.

The discovery of 3I/ATLAS underscores the increasing ability to detect interstellar objects, with future observatories like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile expected to significantly increase the number of discoveries. The frequent presence of interstellar objects throughout the solar system’s history raises the possibility that they may have even played a role in seeding life on Earth.