Search a title or topic

Over 20 million podcasts, powered by 

Player FM logo
Artwork

Content provided by McDonald Observatory and Billy Henry. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by McDonald Observatory and Billy Henry or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
Player FM - Podcast App
Go offline with the Player FM app!

Distant Visitor

2:14
 
Share
 

Manage episode 516250515 series 178791
Content provided by McDonald Observatory and Billy Henry. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by McDonald Observatory and Billy Henry or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

A visitor from far beyond the solar system is getting better acquainted with the Sun this week. Tomorrow, it’ll make its closest approach to the Sun – just 126 million miles. After that, it’ll head back toward interstellar space.

The visitor is 3I/ATLAS. It was discovered on July 1st by an automated telescope that looks for comets and asteroids. Calculations of its orbit quickly showed that it came from outside the solar system. That makes it the third known visitor from interstellar space.

It originated in the galaxy’s “thick disk.” That’s a region that sandwiches our part of the disk. It contains stars that are far older than the Sun. Estimates say 3I/ATLAS could be three billion years older than the solar system, so it could preserve a chemical record of an earlier era in galactic history.

3I/ATLAS is a comet – a ball of rock and frozen gases a few miles in diameter. As it’s closed in on the Sun, some of its gas has vaporized, releasing bits of dust as well. Observations will reveal the composition of this material, telling astronomers about conditions in the region where it formed.

Unfortunately, astronomers can’t see 3I/ATLAS at all right now – it’s hidden in the Sun’s glare. It’ll return to view in December – but only when viewed through a telescope. It’ll pass closest to Earth on December 19th – almost 170 million miles away.

Script by Damond Benningfield

  continue reading

3038 episodes

Artwork

Distant Visitor

StarDate

143 subscribers

published

iconShare
 
Manage episode 516250515 series 178791
Content provided by McDonald Observatory and Billy Henry. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by McDonald Observatory and Billy Henry or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

A visitor from far beyond the solar system is getting better acquainted with the Sun this week. Tomorrow, it’ll make its closest approach to the Sun – just 126 million miles. After that, it’ll head back toward interstellar space.

The visitor is 3I/ATLAS. It was discovered on July 1st by an automated telescope that looks for comets and asteroids. Calculations of its orbit quickly showed that it came from outside the solar system. That makes it the third known visitor from interstellar space.

It originated in the galaxy’s “thick disk.” That’s a region that sandwiches our part of the disk. It contains stars that are far older than the Sun. Estimates say 3I/ATLAS could be three billion years older than the solar system, so it could preserve a chemical record of an earlier era in galactic history.

3I/ATLAS is a comet – a ball of rock and frozen gases a few miles in diameter. As it’s closed in on the Sun, some of its gas has vaporized, releasing bits of dust as well. Observations will reveal the composition of this material, telling astronomers about conditions in the region where it formed.

Unfortunately, astronomers can’t see 3I/ATLAS at all right now – it’s hidden in the Sun’s glare. It’ll return to view in December – but only when viewed through a telescope. It’ll pass closest to Earth on December 19th – almost 170 million miles away.

Script by Damond Benningfield

  continue reading

3038 episodes

All episodes

×
 
Loading …

Welcome to Player FM!

Player FM is scanning the web for high-quality podcasts for you to enjoy right now. It's the best podcast app and works on Android, iPhone, and the web. Signup to sync subscriptions across devices.

 

Copyright 2025 | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | | Copyright
Listen to this show while you explore
Play