This interstellar comet is older than our solar system

Technology Oct 31, 2025

Oxford scientists have spotted a rare interstellar comet, 3I/ATLAS, that could actually be older than our entire solar system.
This icy traveler is cruising through the Milky Way's thick disk, and as it heads toward the Sun, researchers are eager to see what secrets it holds about how stars and planets first formed.

3I/ATLAS is only the 3rd known visitor from outside our solar system

First picked up by Chile's ATLAS telescope in July 2025, 3I/ATLAS is only the third known visitor from outside our solar system—after 'Oumuamua and Borisov.
What sets it apart? Its steep orbit comes from a region full of ancient stars, making it extra valuable for scientists like Dr. Matthew Hopkins who want to peek into the galaxy's early days and understand what space was like before our Sun even existed.