Third interstellar object A11pl3z on the way to the sun!

Third interstellar object A11pl3z on the way to the sun!

A new astronomical find causes a stir in the scientific community: a third interstellar object, currently referred to as A11Pl3z, was discovered and moves through our solar system on a trajectory. The find was made by an astrophysics student in California who acted "astraFoxen" under the pseudonym and published an image of the object on bluesky. Amateur astronomer Sam Deen managed this discovery to trace the property on older recordings of the Atlas telescope until June 14, 2025, which made it possible for the first calculations by his trajectory.

The European Space Organization (ESA) confirmed the observations and explains that A11PL3Z is probably not from our solar system. It would be the third known interstellar object after 1i/ʻoumuamua and 2i/Borisov. The object has a diameter of about 20 kilometers and the ESA assures that it does not represent a threat to the earth. The greatest approach to the sun is expected in October 2025, with the property remaining just outside the Marsbahn.

trajectory and speed

A11PL3Z is currently at a speed of about 66 kilometers per second and is about 735 million kilometers from the sun, which makes it difficult to see for the time being. Astronomers worldwide have directed their telescopes on the object to collect further data. The NASA has also included A11PL3Z in its database for locations near the earth. The origin and composition of the object are currently still unknown, which further fueled the scientific curiosity.

The ESA has announced that its planetary Defenders A11Pl3Z is currently observing and also evaluating older data in order to identify earlier sightings of the object. The object has hyperbolic trajectory, which means that it was originally stated from outside the solar system, as stated by David Rankin, engineer at the University of Arizona. His estimate for the eccentricity of the object is about 6, which confirms the interstellar origin.

a new star in the sky foundation

The discovery of A11Pl3Z series is an interesting time for astronomy. Since the first observation of interstellar object 1i/ʻoumuamua in 2017 and the second interstellar object, the comet C/2019 Q4 (Borisov), which was discovered in 2019, a lot has happened. These finds have challenged our understanding of the frequency of such objects inside our solar system. The ESA explains that such finds indicate that interstellar objects could occur more often than previously suspected.

like A11Pl3z, C/2019 Q4 is also closely observed by ESA in order to gain new knowledge about its structure and composition. It remains exciting which knowledge these new interstellar objects have for the future of astronomy.

For more detailed information about A11PL3Z and the observation of interstellar objects you can oe24.at, Arstechnica and esa.