NASA, ESA, David Jewitt (UCLA); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)

3iATLAS is the third interstellar object or "Interloper" that has been observed in our solar system. The first  object of this kind was Oumuamua  which was discovered on its way out of our solarsystem in 2017.  This time we are more lucky  as the interstellar object 3iATLAS has been observed early in its path through our solar system in the beginning of july.

3iATLAS is a rare guest  and will disappear out of our solar system in a few month. Until then, we may study the object via telescopes and other sensors and discover new scientific secrets about  the development of our galaxy, the universe and maybe even organic material which is needed for development of life  as we know it. There are even researchers who think the new interstellar object is formed by intelligent life, but there are currently no proven signs of that. Professor in astrophysics Uffe Gråe Jørgensen from the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen is interviewed by Science Journalist Jens Degett.

The podcast is part of our project "Danish Space Research" supported by Otto Mønsteds Foundation and Thomas B. Thriges Foundation.