Is it an alien spaceship? Experts say no, strange object is just a comet | story | Kids News

Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS passed by our sun this week

⭐️HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW⭐️

• An object from another solar system has been travelling through our cosmic neighbourhood.
• It’s only the third interstellar object ever detected.
• Scientists say it’s definitely a comet, despite some online conspiracy theories suggesting it’s aliens. 
• Read on to find out why experts say it’s not. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Is it a comet or an alien spaceship?

That’s the question that many have been asking ever since a large object — one that originated somewhere far, far away — was spotted in our solar system earlier this summer.

The object — called 3I/ATLAS  — was first spotted on July 1 and made its closest approach to the sun earlier this week. Astronomers say it came from another solar system. 

It’s generating a lot of hype and conspiracies because it’s one of only three interstellar objects we’ve ever spotted in our solar system. But experts say all evidence suggests it’s just a plain, old, regular comet. 

First, what’s a comet? 

Comets are made from a mixture of frozen gasses, dust and rock. 

When they approach the intense heat of stars, some of their icy exterior turns to gas, creating long tails that can trail millions of kilometres behind them.

This image of 3I/ATLAS shows the comet’s broad coma, a cloud of gas and dust that forms around its icy body as it gets closer to the sun. (Image credit: International Gemini Observatory)

Asteroids, on the other hand, are made mostly from rock and metals.

And what’s an interstellar object? 

A solar system is defined by any given star and all of the things orbiting it, held there by the star’s gravity. 

Our solar system consists of our sun, eight planets including Earth (as well as their moons), five dwarf planets, and countless asteroids and meteors.

Anything that comes from outside of our solar system is called an interstellar object. 

Interstellar objects have been coming in and out of our solar system for billions of years, but it’s only been with recent developments in telescope technology that we’ve been able to spot smaller objects moving super fast. 

Since this technology has come into existence, we’ve detected two interstellar objects — Oumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019. 

There’s debate over whether Oumuamua was a comet or an asteroid, and 2I/Borisov was confirmed to be a comet. But both, like 3I/ATLAS, conjured up conspiracy theories about aliens. 

This diagram shows the trajectory of 3I/ATLAS as it passes through the solar system. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
 

So, is 3I/ATLAS an alien spaceship?

Short answer: no.

The new interstellar object got its name from the system of telescopes that spotted it — Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS).

Astronomers knew it was interstellar because of how fast it was moving. 

Tyrone Woods, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Manitoba, said he can understand why the unique aspects of 3I/ATLAS got people excited, and maybe a little conspiratorial. 

“It is amazing in that it’s the fastest interstellar comet we’ve seen, and it’s coming from the opposite direction than where the other two came from,” he told CBC Kids News. 

That said, Woods said the object has been confirmed to be a comet as it has all of the telltale characteristics. 

“As it approached the sun, the sun started to heat it up, its ice started to melt, and we were able to detect the gasses coming off of it, gasses much like the comets from our own solar system,” he said. 

“There’s no indication or evidence that it’s some kind of alien technology.” 

Aaron Boley, an astronomy professor at the University of British Columbia, said he also understands why people speculate about aliens. 

“We see something and we can’t explain it, and when people can’t explain it, their minds wander and go to those kinds of places,” he said. 

He said questions about aliens are totally worthwhile and valid, but in this case, it’s pretty simple. 

“With this particular object, it looks like a comet and there’s no reason to invoke any additional explanations of what it is.” 

Both Woods and Boley said that scientists will continue to observe 3I/ATLAS as it continues to travel through — and eventually exit — our galaxy.

They said it can teach us about other solar systems and how comets from other places may be made of different elements. 

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With files from The Associated Press