来自哈勃的星际闯入者3I/ATLAS
(原标题: Interstellar Interloper 3I/ATLAS from Hubble)
2025-08-09
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7月1日，由美国宇航局资助的ATLAS（小行星对地撞击最后警报系统）巡天望远镜在智利的b里约热内卢Hurtado发现了3I/ATLAS，它被指定为第三个已知的穿过太阳系的星际物体。它紧随2017年的1I/奥陌陌彗星和2019年的2I/鲍里索夫彗星。3I/ATLAS也被称为C/2025 N1，是一颗彗星。7月21日，哈勃太空望远镜拍摄了这张清晰的照片，照片上的泪滴状尘埃云被越来越多的阳光加热，从冰核中喷射出来。背景恒星在哈勃望远镜追踪有史以来最快的彗星向内太阳系行进时的曝光中出现了条纹。对哈勃图像的分析表明，从直接观察中隐藏的固体核的直径可能小于5.6公里。这颗彗星的星际起源可以从它的轨道上清楚地看到，它被确定为一个偏心的、高度双曲线的轨道，它不会绕着太阳转，并将把3I/ATLAS返回星际空间。对地球没有威胁，这个星际闯入者现在在木星到太阳的轨道距离内，而它最接近太阳的距离将使它刚好在火星的轨道距离内。
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Discovered on July 1 with the NASA-funded ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) survey telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile, 3I/ATLAS is so designated as the third known interstellar object to pass through our Solar System. It follows 1I/ʻOumuamua in 2017 and the comet 2I/Borisov in 2019. Also known as C/2025 N1, 3I/ATLAS is a comet. A teardrop-shaped cloud of dust, ejected from its icy nucleus warmed by increasing sunlight, is seen in this sharp image from the Hubble Space Telescope captured on July 21. Background stars are streaked in the exposure as Hubble tracked the fastest comet ever recorded on its journey toward the inner solar system. An analysis of the Hubble image indicates the solid nucleus, hidden from direct view, is likely less that 5.6 kilometers in diameter. This comet's interstellar origin is clear from its orbit, determined to be an eccentric, highly hyperbolic orbit that does not loop back around the Sun and will return 3I/ATLAS to interstellar space. Not a threat to planet Earth, the inbound interstellar interloper is now within the Jupiter's orbital distance of the Sun, while its closest approach to the Sun will bring it just inside the orbital distance of Mars.