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Description
NASA has announced the discovery of 3I/ATLAS, a rare interstellar comet making its way through our solar system. This marks only the third known comet from beyond our solar neighborhood. With its distinctive high-speed, hyperbolic path, the comet is confirmed to have originated from a distant star system. Scientists around the world are closely tracking 3I/ATLAS to uncover new insights into the formation of planetary systems outside our own.
About Interstellar Comets
Unlike typical comets that orbit the Sun, interstellar comets come from outside our solar system. They travel along hyperbolic trajectories, which means they are not gravitationally bound to the Sun and will exit the solar system after passing through. These icy, rocky objects are believed to have been ejected from other planetary systems due to strong gravitational interactions, possibly with giant planets or nearby stars. They then drift through interstellar space for millions or even billions of years before entering another star system like ours.
Discovery Of 3I/ATLAS
The comet 3I/ATLAS was spotted on 1 July 2025 by the ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) telescope in Chile. Following its initial detection, archived observations from other instruments including the Zwicky Transient Facility in California helped confirm its identity. It was tracked entering the solar system from the direction of the Sagittarius constellation, and its motion and velocity clearly indicated an interstellar origin.
Path And Speed Of Comet
3I/ATLAS is moving at a remarkable speed of 60 km/s, or about 216,000 km/h. Currently located more than 400 million miles (approximately 4.5 astronomical units) from the Sun, the comet is on a one-time flyby path. It is expected to make its closest approach to the Sun about 1.4 astronomical units, just inside Mars’s orbit on 30 October 2025. After this, it will continue its journey out of the solar system and back into interstellar space.
Scientific Significance
The discovery of 3I/ATLAS presents a unique opportunity to examine extraterrestrial materials. Scientists are particularly interested in the comet's chemical makeup, including its gas emissions and dust composition. These observations will allow researchers to compare interstellar comets with those that formed within our solar system, potentially revealing important clues about the origins of planets and the chemistry of other star systems.
Visibility And Safety
Currently, 3I/ATLAS is visible through ground-based telescopes and will remain observable until September 2025, after which it will move too close to the Sun to be seen. It is expected to reappear from behind the Sun in early December. According to NASA, the comet poses no risk to Earth, as it will stay at a safe distance of at least 1.6 astronomical units (roughly 150 million miles) throughout its pass.
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