3I/ATLAS, newly designated for its interstellar origin, is located between the asteroid belt and Jupiter, approximately 416 million miles from the Sun. It is moving rapidly toward the inner solar system at 130,000 miles per hour and is believed to have originated from another solar system. This object marks the third confirmed interstellar object visiting our Sun's domain, following 'Oumuamua and Borisov. Initial observations labeled it as an asteroid, but subsequent studies confirmed it as a comet. Its trajectory suggests it came from the center of the galaxy.
3I/ATLAS is currently located between the orbits of the asteroid belt and Jupiter, where it's about 416 million miles away from the Sun. That's equal to four and a half times the distance between the Earth and our star.
3I/ATLAS is approaching the inner solar system at a speed of about 130,000 miles per hour. Paul Chodas, director of the Center for Near Earth Object Studies, noted its rapid travel.
3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed interstellar object to reach our Sun's domain. Its discovery as a comet signifies its place as the second known "rogue" comet in history.
The object's trajectory indicates it came from the center of the galaxy, and efforts to confirm its interstellar status involved multiple observations from global telescopes.
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