Solar flares could have accelerated a comet flying towards Earth

Plasma ejected as a result of a flare on the far side of the Sun could have accelerated the interstellar object 3l/ATLAS.

According to scientists, at least five large solar flares were expected to hit the space object between October 23 and 27.

The most notable could have been the October 24 impact caused by a strong X-class flare recorded on the far side of the Sun two days earlier.

As is known, information has emerged that the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS unexpectedly exhibited non-gravitational acceleration as it approached the Sun.

This follows from the data specified in the report of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Previously, scientists assumed that such movement could have been caused by some force other than gravity, which acted on the object and caused it to deviate from its trajectory.

Another possible cause, according to the expert, could be reactive motion. In this case, the object should rapidly lose mass.