'Time capsule': Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS offers glimpse into galaxy's past
Scientists in Spain have identified comet 3I/ATLAS as a rare visitor from outside our solar system, calling it a "time capsule" carrying ancient material from distant stars.
Discovered in July 2025, 3I/ATLAS is only the third known interstellar comet and could help us understand the primordial materials from which planetary systems—including our own—formed millions of years ago.
Comet's journey across Milky Way
Using data from the European Space Agency's Gaia mission, researchers traced the comet's 10-million-year journey across the Milky Way.
At a safe distance of 270 million kilometers from Earth, 3I/ATLAS lets scientists study its mix of ice, dust, and organic compounds—offering fresh clues about how planetary systems like ours first formed.
As researcher Xabier Perez Couto put it, this comet is a unique chance to peek into our galaxy's history.