NASA simulates comet 3I/ATLAS collision with Madrid and projects catastrophic destruction in the city
NASA’s Escritório of Coordenação of Defesa Planetária keeps a constant watch over the skies, ceaselessly monitoring objects approaching Terra. Estima Each year, approximately 17,000 comets and asteroids enter the Earth’s atmosphere, and a significant subgroup is classified as “Potencialmente Perigosos Asteroids” (PHAs). Esta categorization requires that the celestial body has an orbit that takes it less than 7.5 million kilometers from our planet and that its diameter exceeds 150 meters, essential criteria for planning any eventual planetary defense.
Neste intensive monitoring scenario, comet 3I/ATLAS, an object of interstellar origin, has been the object of in-depth study by the scientific community. Sua unique nature and trajectory motivated the creation of simulated scenarios to evaluate the potential effects of a collision.
Ferramentas and Asteroid Launcher, developed by computer engineer Neal Agarwal, allow researchers and the general public to visualize the hypothetical consequences of impacts in various locations. In one of these disturbing simulations, the city of Madri, capital of Espanha, was chosen to demonstrate the devastating effects of a possible encounter with comet 3I/ATLAS.
Space surveillance intensified by NASA
The North American space agency, through its Escritório of Coordenação of Defesa Planetária, maintains a sophisticated alert system to identify and track celestial bodies. The annual volume of objects approaching Terra highlights the continued need for advances in detection and trajectory analysis technologies, work that is fundamental to the safety of the planet.
On the same topic: Preparation for asteroid impact: NASA expert highlights the urgency of planetary defense
Essa surveillance is crucial not only to identify imminent risks, but also to characterize the population of objects close to Terra, understanding their origins and compositions. Accumulated knowledge is vital for refining forecast models and developing mitigation strategies.
The singularity of comet 3I/ATLAS
Descoberto by the telescope of Sistema of Alerta Final of Impacto Terrestre of Asteroides (ATLAS) in Río Hurtado, Sua orbit, which does not form a closed path around Sol, confirms its classification as an interstellar body.
Este fact alone makes it a target of immense scientific interest. The chance to study matter from other stars is rare and offers unparalleled insights into the formation of planetary systems beyond our own.
Learn more: Massive object collision may have caused unusual rotation of Venus billions of years ago
Astronomers seek to understand how these cosmic visitors behave and what secrets they can reveal about the primordial conditions of the universe. Analysis of its composition can reveal clues about the chemistry present in other nebulae and protoplanetary disks.
Unprecedented observation window for scientists
In the period between January 19 and 26, 2026, comet 3I/ATLAS will align almost perfectly with Terra and Sol. Este astronomical phenomenon will provide an “unprecedented opportunity”, as highlighted by astrophysicist Avi Loeb, for the scientific community to study its characteristics in depth.
Observations carried out before and after this alignment are crucial to characterize the albedo, which is the ability of the comet’s surface to reflect solar radiation. Este data, along with analysis of its structure and the composition of interstellar matter, will allow for a more complete understanding of the object.
Conforme explained by Loeb in an article, the comet’s stay with a phase angle of less than 2 degrees for approximately a week is a rare event. Geralmente, cometary opposition geometries only last a few hours, making the 3I/ATLAS opportunity something that “may not be repeated for decades.”
See Also
More on this story: NASA announces increased probability of collision of asteroid 2024 YR4 with Earth
Durante this alignment, the comet will be approximately 3.33 Unidades Astronômicas (AU) from Sol and 2.35 AU from Terra. Após its passage, it is expected that 3I/ATLAS will leave our Sistema Solar permanently, disappearing forever and taking with it the information that scientists can extract.
Discoveries about its composition and origin
Embora the exact size of comet 3I/ATLAS is not yet fully known, observations of Telescópio Espacial Hubble indicate that its nucleus has a diameter of at least 440 meters. When discovered in the orbit of Júpiter, the comet was traveling at an impressive speed of 221,000 kilometers per hour, according to NASA data.
Atraído due to the gravitational force of Sol, its speed increased considerably, reaching 246,000 kilometers per hour at its closest approach to the star. Essa speed, combined with other factors, suggests an origin in an extremely old planetary system. Scientists believe that 3I/ATLAS could be a cosmic time capsule, carrying traces of the very distant past.
Pesquisadores detected a higher-than-usual ratio of carbon dioxide to water, compared to comets typical of our Sistema Solar. Além In addition, traces of gas rich in nickel compared to iron were found. Essas anomalies in the chemical composition are key elements in unraveling its history and the environment in which it was formed. “3I/ATLAS is not just a window into another solar system; it is a window into a remote past, so remote that it predates even the formation of Terra and Sol,” said Tom Statler, NASA’s chief scientist for small solar system bodies.
Destruction scenario: the impact on Madri
One of the most impactful and detailed simulations is that of a possible impact of comet 3I/ATLAS on Puerta del Sol, in the heart of Madri. The consequences would be of catastrophic proportions, completely redefining the landscape and life in the region.
The initial impact would generate a crater approximately 3.8 kilometers in diameter and 439 meters deep. The city center, including the emblematic Puerta del Sol and adjacent neighborhoods such as Centro, Salamanca, Chamberí, Arganzuela and Estima It was assumed that more than 2,000 people would die in the direct area of the crater alone.
Learn more: 35-meter asteroid passes 90,000 km from Earth in 2026
The energy released by the collision would be equivalent to 826 megatons of TNT, a force greater than the combined capacity of all nuclear weapons currently in the world. The resulting shock wave, accompanied by a deafening boom of 242 decibels, would claim the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in a matter of seconds. In a radius of 18 kilometers, covering almost the entire city and neighboring municipalities such as Getafe, Leganés and Alcobendas, countless people would suffer severe lung damage. Up to 24 kilometers away, most eardrums would rupture, and 41 kilometers from the point of impact, most buildings would collapse. The winds, with speeds that could reach up to 4 kilometers per second, would devastate Madri and its surroundings, with an estimated 1.7 million deaths due to the storm alone. Adicionalmente, an earthquake of magnitude 6.4 on the Richter scale would be triggered, intensifying the destruction and the number of victims. An event of this magnitude is extremely rare, with an average occurrence estimated at once every 30,000 years.
Continuous planetary prevention and defense
Despite the rarity of such devastating impact events, surveillance and study of objects such as comet 3I/ATLAS are essential components of planetary defense efforts. A detailed understanding of their characteristics and trajectories allows science to be prepared for future cosmic challenges.
Investimentos in asteroid and comet tracking research and technology are critical to protecting Terra. International collaboration is vital to strengthen detection capabilities and develop effective strategies, ensuring the security of our planet against threats from space.
