3I/ATLAS – INTERSTELLAR COMET

Current Context: NASA-funded ATLAS telescope in Chile recently discovered 3I/ATLAS, making it the third-known interstellar comet.

ABOUT 3I/ATLAS:

• “3I” indicates it’s the third interstellar object, after 1I/’Oumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019).
• Moving at ~60 km/s on a hyperbolic trajectory.
• Expected to sublimate (release gases and dust) forming a tail as it nears the Sun.
• Not expected to come close to Earth.