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Astronomers just discovered that an absolutely gigantic space rock that they have never seen before has entered our solar system. For now, they are referring to this giant space rock as “A11pl3Z”, and they are scrambling to find out all they can about it. At this stage, they don’t even know if it is a comet, an asteroid or something else. What they do know is that it is very large. According to one estimate, it is 12 miles wide. That means that Apophis is just a tiny pebble compared to this monster. They also know that it is getting closer to the Sun, although the exact trajectory of the object is uncertain. As it speeds toward the Sun, it appears that Mars will be the planet that has the closest encounter with this giant space rock. Is there a possibility that it could actually collide with Mars?

We are being told that the reason astronomers have never seen this giant space rock before is because it originally comes from another solar system…

There is a growing buzz in the astronomy community about a new object with a hyperbolic trajectory that is moving toward the inner Solar System.

Early on Wednesday, the European Space Agency confirmed that the object, tentatively known as A11pl3Z, did indeed have interstellar origins.

“Astronomers may have just discovered the third interstellar object passing through the Solar System!” the agency’s Operations account shared on Bluesky. “ESA’s Planetary Defenders are observing the object, provisionally known as #A11pl3Z, right now using telescopes around the world.”