Interstellar Comet 3I/Atlas and ISS Deorbit: Scientific Opportunity vs. Practicality

Key Quotes

"Comet 3I Atlas this dirty snowball is a visitor from another solar system and it's only the third interstellar object we've ever found and today today it's closer to us than ever before a mere 170 million miles away so naturally space nerds like my next guests and me are really excited about this but 3i has permeated the astrophysicist's bubble and captured the spotlight in a way that i think maybe no other big hunk of rock ever has"

Flora Lewisman highlights the widespread interest in Comet 3I Atlas, noting its significance as only the third known interstellar object. She emphasizes that its current proximity to Earth has captured public attention beyond the usual scientific community. This indicates the comet's unique nature and its ability to generate broad fascination.

"what answers are you trying to get while 3i is closest to us we're mostly studying the composition of this object right now we want to know what it's made of and what clues we can get about where it came from based on that composition so we're seeing what different molecules are there and what abundances they have which tells us a little bit about the chemistry of the planetary system that it was formed from"

Dr. Stephanie Myllum explains that the primary goal during the comet's closest approach is to analyze its composition. She states that understanding the molecules present and their abundances will provide insights into the chemical makeup of the planetary system from which it originated. This approach aims to use the comet as a sample of an alien star system.

"what really excites me about these interstellar objects is the fact that we're getting samples of other star systems you know when a star forms it forms as a part of this you know more massive structure that has a star at the core and a disk that will eventually form planets and in that process you build up these cometary bodies you end up with asteroid like objects and you know every star has a different history and every cloud that they formed from you know they have different chemical abundances"

Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi expresses excitement about interstellar objects because they offer samples of other star systems. He explains that as stars form with surrounding disks, cometary and asteroid-like bodies develop, each with unique histories and chemical compositions. Therefore, studying these objects provides a window into the diversity of planetary systems across the galaxy.

"the challenges that we have right now for observing this object with the james webb space telescope is we have to know precisely where in the the sky this object is to point the telescope at the exact position that it's at this is challenging because it's moving it's it's flying across our solar system so we've been using telescopes all over the world to try to really hone in on where it is in the sky so that we can make sure we don't miss it with the james webb space telescope"

Dr. Stephanie Myllum details the difficulties in observing Comet 3I Atlas with the James Webb Space Telescope. She explains that the comet's movement across the solar system makes it challenging to pinpoint its exact location in the sky. This requires global collaboration with other telescopes to refine its orbit and ensure accurate targeting for the JWST.

"there is no evidence that we've seen to date that there is anything atypical about the composition the activity or any other phenomenon so far nothing has come up as an extreme that can't be explained by our regular physical processes that we see in comets in our own solar system"

Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi addresses the alien theories surrounding Comet 3I Atlas by stating there is no evidence to support them. He clarifies that the comet's composition, activity, and observed phenomena are consistent with known physical processes seen in comets within our own solar system. This indicates that current data does not suggest an extraterrestrial origin.

"i think that the sizzle around this comet even if it's about aliens is a good thing i think that it is uh bringing more curious minds to wondering about nature and you know personally i my own ramp to being a scientist you know in my youth included exploring the paranormal exploring you know ghost stories and bigfoot and those sort of ideas they live in a similar part of the soul and mind right that part of curiosity exploring the unknown going for that which is really weird and different and i think that the attention that astronomy is able to generate which leads to people right becoming a part of this enterprise and this is the own ramp that gets us there so i'm all for it"

Dr. Stephanie Myllum views the public fascination with Comet 3I Atlas, even if driven by alien speculation, as beneficial. She explains that this curiosity about the unknown, similar to interests in the paranormal, can serve as an entry point for individuals to engage with astronomy. This attention, she believes, encourages more people to become involved in scientific exploration.