Decoding interstellar objects: The case of 3I/Atlas
3I/ATLAS is the latest space traveler to drop by our Solar System, discovered on July 1, 2025, by NASA's ATLAS telescope in Chile.
Zipping along at about 60km/s and spotted 670 million kilometers from the Sun, its hyperbolic path shows it comes from far beyond our cosmic neighborhood.
When will the comet reach its perihelion?
The comet will swing closest to the Sun—just inside Mars's orbit—around October 29, 2025.
Even though that sounds close in space terms (about 210 million kilometers away), there's no risk to Earth.
Interstellar comets have different characteristics
Unlike local comets that loop around the Sun, interstellar ones like 3I/ATLAS travel so fast and on such open paths that they're just passing through.
Scientists confirm this by tracking its speed and unique trajectory using several telescopes.
Why studying such comets is important?
Studying rare visitors like this helps us learn what other planetary systems are made of.
By analyzing its makeup—like different types of ice—scientists get new clues about how worlds form around distant stars, giving us a bigger picture of our galaxy.