Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS zooms past Mars tomorrow: What to expect
Heads up, space fans: interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, discovered just this July, is zooming past Mars on October 3, 2025.
It's moving nearly twice as fast as previous interstellar objects.
Spacecraft and rovers will observe the comet
NASA's MAVEN, ESA's Trace Gas Orbiter, and the UAE's Hope probe will be watching closely as the comet flies by. They'll study its ultraviolet and infrared emissions to learn more about what it's made of.
Even Mars rovers Curiosity and Perseverance are expected to join in with their own observations before the comet heads behind the Sun for a while.
Why is this comet important?
3I/ATLAS is believed to have formed between nine and 13 billion years ago during a wild era of star-making called "cosmic noon."
Scientists are excited because studying it could reveal secrets about our galaxy's early days—and maybe even help us understand how life-building ingredients travel through space.
Early rumors that it might be artificial were quickly put to rest once its true comet nature was confirmed.