Scientists have found a strange cosmic object approaching Earth.

Astronomers have discovered a new interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, which is farther away from us than any star. Its brightness has surprised scientists, as it may indicate either a giant comet or a previously unseen phenomenon.

Reddening of light and unexpected size

The brightness of 3I/ATLAS may suggest a size of about 20 km, which is three times larger than the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs and 200 times larger than the previous interstellar object 1I/'Oumuamua. This is a very rare phenomenon, with a probability of just 0.01% over five years.

The initial observations did not show the usual signs of gas or molecules, only a 'reddening' of reflected light, which may indicate dust or organic materials on the surface. If it does not contain dust, then the object indeed has a diameter of 20 km.

The object will get brighter as it approaches the Sun, and its brightness will increase in proportion to its distance from it.

3I/ATLAS is moving in the opposite direction and crosses the plane of the Earth's orbit at a strange angle. Its closest approach to the Sun is scheduled for October 29, 2025, when we will be on the opposite side. An astronomer compares it to a spaceship from Arthur C. Clarke's novel 'Rendezvous with Rama.'

Although the comet hypothesis remains supported, some information was removed from the article due to lack of evidence. The magazine's editorial also did not mention any 'anomalies.'

In other space news, the American company Redwire Corporation successfully tested flexible solar panels ROSA, which could be used on the future lunar station Lunar Gateway. A new species of bacteria was also discovered aboard the 'Tianhe' station, which is unique for science.

Astronomers have detected a new interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, whose size and brightness spectrum are very different from other similar objects. Scientists have tried to understand the nature of this phenomenon, but many questions remain open, awaiting further research.