NASA releases new images of Comet 3I/Atlas: what are interstellar objects?, Pg17

Key Highlights:

• NASA released new images of Comet 3I/Atlas, an interstellar object, first spotted on July 1.
• Comet 3I/Atlas is the third interstellar object discovered, following 1I/’Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov.
• Interstellar objects originate outside the solar system and are not gravitationally bound to a star.
• These objects move in open-ended hyperbolic orbits, allowing them to escape the solar system.

Detailed Insights:

• Interstellar objects are ejected from other solar systems due to collisions or gravitational slingshots.
• Scientists determine if a celestial body is interstellar by computing its trajectory; solar system objects move in closed elliptical orbits.
• Objects within the solar system travel fastest at perihelion (closest to the Sun) and slowest at aphelion (farthest from the Sun).
• Hyperbolic orbits of interstellar objects indicate speeds too high for the Sun's gravity to keep them within the solar system.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Interstellar Object: A celestial body not gravitationally bound to a star, originating outside the solar system.
• Perihelion: The point in an object's orbit when it is closest to the Sun.
• Aphelion: The point in an object's orbit when it is farthest from the Sun.
• Hyperbolic Orbit: An open-ended trajectory indicating an object will not return to its starting point.