NASA Astronomers Just Discovered a Comet that Flew Here from Interstellar Space

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The ATLAS, or Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, is a system supported by NASA and created by the University of Hawaii. It combines data from four telescopes located on Earth – two in Hawaii, one in Chile, and another in South Africa. These telescopes scan the entire night sky twice every night, with the aim of identifying asteroids and other potential threats to our planet.

During their pursuit for celestial bodies near Earth, astronomers recently uncovered a comet hailing from beyond our solar system. This is merely the third interstellar object identified so far, following ‘Oumuamua and Comet 2I/Borisov. Each of these extraterrestrial guests provides an opportunity to learn about distant star systems without physically traveling there ourselves – a lesson tragically demonstrated by the crew in SYFY‘s The Ark, currently streaming on Peacock.

For More on Interstellar Objects

‘The Mysterious Movement of ‘Oumuamua Can Now Be Explained, and It Wasn’t Extraterrestrial Activity. The Interstellar Comet Borisov Appeared Shiny and Brand New During Its Passage Through Our Solar System. The James Webb Space Telescope Will Have the Capability to Detect More Anomalous Objects That Originate from Interstellar Space.

Or:

The Peculiar Trajectory of ‘Oumuamua Has a Logical Explanation, and It Was Not Due to Alien Activity. The Interstellar Comet Borisov was Bright and Fresh as it Travelled Through Our Solar System. With the James Webb Space Telescope, We Will Be Able to Spot More Peculiar Objects that Come from Beyond our Solar System.

An interstellar comet called 3I/ATLAS is visiting our solar system

As a captivated stargazer, I’m thrilled to share that the recently unveiled comet, known as 3I/ATLAS, has been making its approach from the celestial realm of Sagittarius! When it was first spotted on July 1, it was approximately 420 miles away from our radiant Sun. However, upon further investigation by astronomers, they discovered that we had pre-discovery observations dating back to June 14, 2025, hidden within historical telescope images! This comet’s arrival is an exciting addition to the cosmic dance unfolding in our sky.

Over the past few days, I’ve been closely observing this mysterious object, 3I/ATLAS. My findings have helped determine its peculiar orbit and confirm its origin beyond our solar system. Here’s why:

You see, the term “eccentricity” in astronomy describes how far an object’s orbit strays from a perfect circle. A perfectly circular orbit has an eccentricity of 0, while a more elliptical or squashed one edges closer to 1. An eccentricity beyond 1 signifies a hyperbolic orbit, not bound by the Sun’s gravity.

Intriguingly, 3I/ATLAS boasts an eccentricity of approximately 6, which makes it abundantly clear that it hails from interstellar space. After a brief sojourn in our solar system, this enigmatic visitor will soon depart and return to its cosmic home.

Where 3I/ATLAS came from and where it’s headed

3I/ATLAS, an interstellar comet, is currently within Jupiter’s orbital path (though on the opposite side of our solar system from Jupiter), moving towards the inner solar system. It will reach its closest point to the Sun in October, passing between the orbits of Earth and Mars. After this, it will exit our solar system again and return to interstellar space.

As a space enthusiast, I can assure you there’s nothing to fret about! This interloper, 3I/ATLAS, won’t pose any danger to Earth. It’ll maintain a comfortable distance of about 150 million miles from our home planet as it cruises through our solar system. The astronomers are currently in an observational frenzy over this celestial visitor, and we have until September of this year to catch glimpses of it through ground telescopes. However, by early December, it’ll get too close to the Sun for us to see clearly. But don’t worry, once it swings around the other side in December, we’ll have another chance to observe it until it becomes too distant to spot again!

Currently, astronomers estimate the comet’s width to be somewhere between 6 and 19 miles, making it the largest interstellar object we’ve encountered thus far. Regardless of its exact size, it’s been coasting along and picking up speed. When first discovered, the comet was moving at approximately 137,000 miles per hour. As it gets closer to the Sun, its speed is expected to increase to a staggering 152,000 miles per hour due to gravitational forces.

This new finding serves as a precious chance for astronomers to deepen their understanding of other stellar systems. Although we can’t physically approach and examine 3I/ATLAS, scientists can gather information about its chemical makeup from afar. If the day comes that we need to embark on a journey to another star system, discoveries like 3I/ATLAS could provide us with valuable insights, helping us better prepare for such an adventure.

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2025-07-10 23:31