Astronomers say one of the rarest comets ever observed, the mysterious 3I/ATLAS, likely isn’t alone, and that more mysterious interstellar visitors to our solar system could soon be on the way.
Such discoveries are likely, even though 3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed interstellar object astronomers have detected in our planetary neighborhood, thanks to advanced new detection methods that are expected to reveal that such visits are a much more common occurrence than previously known.
As the interstellar voyager continues its journey, which will carry it past the planet Mars next month, 3I/ATLAS will then make its closest approach to Earth, at which time it will be obscured from view as it travels behind the Sun.
Although its trajectory will prevent us from getting a very clear close-up view of the comet, the years ahead are almost guaranteed to grant astronomers additional opportunities to observe interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS, presenting us with exciting new opportunities to learn about them.
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