Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Approaches Earth, Offering New Insights into Planetary Formation
Comet 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar object, is approaching Earth, providing astronomers with a unique opportunity to study its characteristics. This comet, originating from outside our solar system, is the third such object discovered, following 1I/'Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. As it nears Earth on December 19, astronomers will be able to observe it more closely using telescopes, potentially revealing new information about the conditions in which it formed. The comet is believed to have been ejected from its original star system by a gravitational interaction with a giant exoplanet. Observations have already indicated that 3I/ATLAS is enriched in carbon dioxide, suggesting it formed much farther from its star than typical solar system comets. 
