CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Astronomers are keeping a close eye on an intriguing celestial object making its way towards our solar system. This could potentially be the third known interstellar object to make its way through our cosmic neighborhood, as announced by the European Space Agency.
Currently, this benign entity is located near Jupiter, positioned hundreds of millions of miles away, and is progressing towards Mars. Scientists assure that it will not approach the sun any nearer, maintaining a safe trajectory through space.
At the moment, the object’s nature remains a mystery. Identified as A11pl3Z, it is yet to be determined whether it is an asteroid composed of rock or a comet encrusted in ice. Its exact size and shape remain uncertain, pending further observations to establish its precise origins. NASA has confirmed that it is closely monitoring the developments.
Astrophysicist Josep Trigo-Rodriguez from the Institute of Space Sciences in Barcelona, Spain, suggests that the object is likely interstellar. This assumption is based on its unusual trajectory and high velocity as it travels through our solar system. He estimates its diameter to be around 25 miles.
The first verified interstellar visitor was spotted in 2017. Named ‘Oumuamua, which translates to “scout” in Hawaiian, it was recognized in honor of the Hawaii observatory that first detected it. Initially classified as an asteroid, ‘Oumuamua’s characteristics have since shown potential comet-like behavior. Another object, known as 21/Borisov, was identified in 2019, believed to have originated from another star system and classified as a comet.