Sign In
Learn bits
Science & Tech.
Mahesh

04/08/24 12:02 PM IST

Saturn threw a comet out of the solar system forever

In News
  • In a stunning astronomical event, scientists have discovered a comet being ejected from the solar system after a close encounter with Saturn. 
Discovery of Comet A117uUD
  • The comet, A117uUD, was discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) on June 14, 2024.
  • Researchers studied its path around the Sun using 142 tracking observations.
  • In 2022, A117uUD had a close encounter with Saturn.
  • The planet’s strong gravity changed the comet’s path, sending it into a very elongated orbit and eventually ejecting it from the solar system at a speed of about 10,800 km/h.
  • This event is only the second time scientists have documented a comet being thrown out of the solar system by a planet’s gravity. The first time was with Comet C/1980 E1 (Bowell) and Jupiter in 1980.
Insights from the Ejection
  • Studying A117uUD’s path provides valuable insights into how gravity affects objects in space.
  • This event suggests that comet ejections might happen more often than previously thought, challenging the idea that they are rare.
  • As A117uUD travels into interstellar space, it joins a growing list of objects from outside our solar system, helping scientists learn more about space mechanics and the chances of future encounters with similar objects.
Role of ATLAS
  • The ATLAS system played a crucial role in discovering and monitoring A117uUD, highlighting its importance in expanding our knowledge of the solar system and unusual celestial events.
  • Scientists will continue to observe A117uUD to uncover more mysteries about our solar system and prepare for possible future encounters with interstellar objects.
Source- India Today

More Related Current Affairs View All

31 Jan

Controlled cannabis cultivation

'Recently, the  Himachal Pradesh Cabinet approved a pilot study by two universities on the controlled cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes.' The

Read More

30 Jan

Isro’s 100th launch

'With the first launch of 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation achieved the significant milestone of having carried out 100 launches.' The GSLV-F15 put in orbit the navi

Read More

29 Jan

Classifying denotified tribes

'The Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) and Tribal Research Institutes (TRI) across the country have for the first time comprehensively categorised 268 denotified, semi-nomadic

Read More

India’s First Ai-Driven Magazine Generator

Generate Your Custom Current Affairs Magazine using our AI in just 3 steps