The discovery was made by the Asteroid Terrestrial Impact Alert System (ATLAS), a NASA-funded project run by the University of Hawaii. Using a network of four telescopes in Hawaii, Chile, and South Africa, ATLAS scans the sky for objects that could pose threats to Earth or provide insight into cosmic events.
Subsequent global observations confirmed that 31/ATLAS was traveling too fast to be captured by the Sun’s gravity. It will continue its journey through the solar system before disappearing into interstellar space, never to return.
Why It Matters
The confirmation of 31/ATLAS’s natural origin isn’t just about debunking alien myths—it’s a scientific breakthrough. The detection of water and hydroxyl radicals proves that chemical processes tied to life’s building blocks occur beyond our solar system.
By studying interstellar comets, astronomers can gain insight into how water and organic molecules form in distant planetary systems, offering a glimpse into the galaxy’s chemical diversity.
