A newly discovered object, dubbed A11pl3Z, appears to be moving too fast and straight to have originated in the solar system. If confirmed, it will be the third interstellar visitor ever spotted.

A new interstellar object, A11pl3Z, has been discovered in our solar system, marking the third such object to be observed. It was first discovered zipping near the sun this fall.

Scientists tracking ‘interstellar’ object that has come to us from another solar system. Scientists are using telescopes around the world to confirm the findings. Andrew Griffin, Julia Musto.

That will give us limited time to study 3I/ATLAS, but because it has been seen on its way into the solar system, we will at least have more time than with the other interstellar objects.

This interstellar object, known as 3I/ATLAS, is still pretty far from the sun, currently located between the orbits of the asteroid belt and Jupiter but heading toward the inner solar system.

Harvard physicist Avi Loeb revealed that the object is expected to approach Earth on December 17, speeding through the solar system at more than 41 miles per second (roughly 150,000 miles per hour).