Astronomer assessed the danger of the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS

Astronomer, popularizer of astronomy and cosmonautics Alexander Kiselyov said that the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS will approach the Earth closest on December 19 — about 270 million km, after which it will leave the vicinity of our planet again. In case such a "comet ship" unexpectedly changes its trajectory and becomes a potential threat, the world community already has a developed action plan.

In conversation with aif.ru On Friday, November 28, the specialist explained that if there is a serious risk of a collision, the data will be immediately transferred to international structures, including the UN. According to him, the existing plan suggests the possibility of changing the course of the object or destroying it at a safe distance using special rods-harpoons with a length of 1.8–3 m, which, if necessary, can be equipped with explosives, including nuclear ones. He stressed that the safety of the Earth remains a top priority.

The astronomer explained that the potential collision of large space objects with the Earth is considered the main threat, although the probability of such an event is extremely low. However, the consequences would be catastrophic, so experts around the world will closely monitor the trajectory, speed, size and composition of the comet to accurately assess the possible risks.

Asteroids and asteroids: should we be afraid of celestial bodies

The scientist told why earthlings should not be afraid of collisions with space objects.

Earlier on November 28, it was reported that the United Nations officially selected the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as the object of global planetary protection training. The campaign began on November 27 and will last until January 27, 2026.

On November 27, experts from the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy at the IKI RAS reported that the 3I/ATLAS object continues to have a rare dust anti-tail, oriented opposite to the main ordinary tail, writes RT.

Experts believe that even taking into account the unpredictable acceleration of the object, it will not come dangerously close, and the distance will remain much more than the "psychological" mark of 200 million km, NSN notes.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.