DIX Planetary Science Seminar

Interstellar objects (ISOs) are macroscopic planetesimals from other Solar

systems that happen to cross our own. Three have been discovered so far:

1I'Oumuamua, 2I/Borisov, and last July, 3I/ATLAS. 3I proved to be the brightest

of the three, and the arrival of JWST gave a unique chance to characterize it. I will

first describe the key findings from 3I, focusing on the unique isotopic

measurements and my work on its silicate composition. The second half of the talk

will present perspectives for future work, taking into consideration the

detectability of the ISO population and gaps in our understanding of small bodies

that hinder the ability to interpret ISO observations. I will conclude with thoughts

on how each successive order of magnitude in ISOs characterized will give novel

insights. Current predictions suggest the 10 ISO barrier may be broken before the

end of the decade, with perhaps 100 found by 2040.