Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS makes closest pass to the sun

THE SPACE COMMUNITY RECENTLY. AN INTERSTELLAR COMET THAT BEGAN OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM HAS JUST MADE ITS CLOSEST PASS OF THE SUN. THAT’S RIGHT. SO ASTRONOMERS HAVE OBSERVED THE COMET SINCE JULY, BUT STARGAZERS WITH TELESCOPES WILL BE ABLE TO SEE IT SOON BEFORE IT HEADS OUT OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM. SO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THREE EYE ATLAS AND WHY THIS IS SO EXCITING. THAT’S RIGHT. SO WE WANT TO WELCOME CHRISTOPHER PALMA, WHO’S AN ASTRONOMER AND PROFESSOR WITH PENN STATE UNIVERSITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. SO WE WANT TO START SIMPLY WITH WHAT IS THREE EYE ATLAS AND WHY IS THIS INTERSTELLAR COMET SUCH A BIG DEAL. YEAH, IT’S I MEAN, ONE OF THE REASONS IT’S SUCH A BIG DEAL IS IT’S ONLY THE THIRD ONE OF THIS TYPE WE’VE EVER DISCOVERED. THERE’S HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF COMETS THAT VISIT THE SOLAR, OR THE INNER PART OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRACKING THEM FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, BUT THIS ONE ACTUALLY CAME FROM ANOTHER STAR SYSTEM. IT TRAVELED THROUGH SPACE, AND IT JUST RANDOMLY ENCOUNTERED OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, AND IT’S PASSING THROUGH, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN. AFTER IT LEAVES. CAN YOU DEBUNK? I KNOW THERE ARE A TON OF FANS WHO ARE LIKE, OH MY GOSH, THIS ISN’T A COMET. IT’S ACTUALLY ALIENS. AND THAT THIS WAS A THIS WAS A SPACESHIP. CAN YOU DEBUNK THAT FOR US AND WHY? HOW YOU GUYS KNOW IT’S NOT A SPACESHIP? YEAH, SURE. IT’S REALLY FUNNY ACTUALLY. SO I MEAN, IT’S NOT FUNNY TO CONSIDER THAT, RIGHT? ASTRONOMERS ABSOLUTELY WANT TO KNOW IF THERE’S LIFE OUT THERE. I HAVE COLLEAGUES WHO WHO ARE SPENDING THEIR CAREER TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT TO BELIEVE SOMETHING IS ALIENS, IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE ARTIFICIAL, RIGHT? AND SO THIS OBJECT, EVERY WAY IN WHICH IT’S BEHAVING LOOKS JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER BALL OF ROCK AND ICE THAT PASSES THROUGH THE INNER SOLAR SYSTEM AS IT’S GETTING CLOSER TO THE SUN, IT’S PUFFING UP. IT’S LEAVING GAS BEHIND IT, SO EVERYTHING MAKES IT LOOK NATURAL AND NOT SOMETHING THAT REQUIRED ANY INTELLIGENT CIVILIZATION TO BUILD. YEAH. SO. SO WE’VE HEARD IT’S HIDDEN BY THE SUN’S GLARE. SO WHEN CAN PEOPLE SEE IT? BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT, CHRISTOPHER? THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, AND I CAN’T SEE A THING. SO WHEN WILL PEOPLE BE ABLE TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS OR GET A GLIMPSE OF IT? WELL, I HOPE I DON’T DEFLATE PEOPLE TOO MUCH. COMETS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR SOMETIMES BEING TOLD THAT THEY’LL BE BRIGHT ENOUGH AND THEN NOT WORKING OUT. SO IN DECEMBER THIS IS GOING TO PASS AROUND THE SUN AND THEN BACK OUT, LEADING THE SUN, SO IT WILL BE VISIBLE AGAIN. BUT COMETS ARE ALWAYS YOU NEED TO LOOK FOR THEM SORT OF LOW NEAR THE HORIZON AROUND SUNSET OR SUNRISE, BECAUSE THAT’S WHERE THE SUN IS. AND THIS ONE WON’T EVER GET BRIGHT ENOUGH TO JUST BE SEEN BY THE EYE. THE ONLY WAY YOU’LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT IS WITH A SMALL TELESCOPE. AND CHRISTOPHER, FOR SOMEONE WHO SO INTIMATELY RESEARCHES AND SEES THIS ALL THE TIME, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT THIS COMET AND WHAT WE SHOULD LOOK FORWARD TO IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND MONTHS? YEAH. I MEAN, WHAT’S SO EXCITING ABOUT THIS IS THAT IT’S THE LEFTOVERS FROM THE FORMATION OF PLANETS LIKE EARTH. AND SO THE FACT THAT THIS THING IS PASSING THROUGH OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, WE’RE GOING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THESE OBJECTS FORMED ELSEWHERE, TO BE ABLE TO COMPARE THAT TO THE STUFF THAT’S IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, IT REALLY WILL LET US LEARN A LOT ABOUT HOW PLANETS LIKE THE EARTH MAY FORM AROUND OTHER STARS. SO THAT’S WHAT EXCITES US AS SCIENTISTS. IT’S A TOPIC THAT’S OUT OF THIS WORLD. CHRISTOPHER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ON AND TALK TO US.

Recently, an interstellar comet that originated outside of our solar system has just made its closest pass of the sun. Astronomers have observed the comet, 3I/ATLAS, since July, but stargazers with telescopes will be able to see it soon before it heads out of the solar system.Christopher Palma, an astronomer and professor at Penn State University, spoke with News 8 to discuss the comet.

Recently, an interstellar comet that originated outside of our solar system has just made its closest pass of the sun.

Astronomers have observed the comet, 3I/ATLAS, since July, but stargazers with telescopes will be able to see it soon before it heads out of the solar system.

Christopher Palma, an astronomer and professor at Penn State University, spoke with News 8 to discuss the comet.