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Rubin Observatory in Cerro Pachón in Chile’s sunset. | Credit: Rubinobs/Noirlab/NSF/Aura/h. Stockebrand
Scientists and astronomers race only to learn only the third well -known interstellar visitor to the solar system, but when a powerful new observatory is connected on the Internet, these enigmatic objects can soon become ordinary discoveries.
The comet, now known as 3i/Atlas, with 3i short “third interstellar”, caused direct excitement on July 1, when it was detected by a deep random survey remote telescope in Chile, showing hyperbolic and highly eccentric orbit.
This is the third approved by the interstellar visitor, after 1i’oumuamuaa 2017. And 2i/Borisov 2019 However, high -speed visitors from our solar system are now likely to have a lot of regularly detected thanks to the New Vera C. Rubin Observatory.
The Rubin Observatory is on the Cerro Pachón Hill in Chile, and after a decade, it saw the first light. Although it is only at an early start stage, in just 10 hours of observation, the ruby discovered 2,104 new asteroids. Its scientific aims include understanding of the structure and evolution of the universe, the map of the milk road and observe short -term astronomical events, but it is also intended for the detection of interstellar objects (Isa).
This is due to the enormous Rubin large synoptic test telescope (LSST) camera, the largest digital camera ever constructed with astronomy, with stunning 3.2 gigapixels. LSST will immediately scan the giant sky rhythms and will watch the entire southern sky every few nights. Because of its wide field, depth and how often he notices the same regions of the sky, the ruby is unambiguously capable of catching fast, weak objects such as 1i/’Oumuama or 3i/Atlas.
Isos, for example, 1i/’Oumuama or 3i/Atlas, move quickly and can easily pass through our sky unnoticed if the sky is not scanned frequently and everywhere. The ruby will look at the best and broadly, giving astronomers the best chance to catch these short -term visitors while able to detect objects weaker than almost any overground survey. A powerful comparison of the Rubin imaging and automatic image along with the automated warning system – with millions of activated and filtered every night – means that it will choose a signal movement and mark the potential ISO.
So how many interstellar objects can a ruby detect? The answer varies greatly depending on the assumptions that scientists use.
In early days, we find ISO, so it is difficult to estimate how much the ruby can take; We know little about their overall frequency, size range, brightness, if they are commercial and how LSST works.
However, some of the latest articles on this topic provide a useful context of how much Isa LSST can detect, taking into account various variables.
2022 On paper Hoover et al. Evaluate that LSST will detect 0.9-1.9 ISO order each year or about 15 such objects per 10 -year monitoring campaign. He notes that these are lower boundaries that can be updated with more data on the density and size of interstellar objects.
In addition, Hoover et al. Evaluate the likelihood that the ruby will find ISO, which will be achieved by the concepts of the comet and the bridge mission, which will fly an interstellar object when it passes through our solar system. These missions will begin to wait for Lurk, ready to take over and meet the passing ISO. Researchers concluded that there is only about 0.07% of the likelihood that LSST will set an ISO goal that can be found in Comet Interceptor.
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Another rating from 2023 Esel and Loebo paper expect LSST to detect one small ISO from 3 to 164 feet (1 to 50 meters) width every two years.
More optimistic rating is from Marceta and Seligman 2023. On paper. They, based on simulated asteroid interstellar objects with a set of galactic populations, and their trajectories and kinematics that the ruby should detect about 0 to 70 asteroid interstellar objects each year. Again, one of the main factors is how many objects of different sizes actually exist in the ISO population, as well as their albedo or how much light they reflect.
So far, only three approved interstellants, much unknown about ISO numbers, size and diversity. However, when the Rubin Observatory joins the Internet, these fast -moving space messengers may soon move from rare events to normal science, offering unique insights on galaxy outside our solar system.