3I/ATLAS, an interstellar object that has garnered a lot of interest in the field of planetary science, will shortly approach its closest point to the un. The discovery of 3I/ATLAS, the third comet from another solar system ever seen, has greatly excited scientists in the field, reports Newsweek.
This image provided by NASA/European Space Agency shows an image captured by Hubble of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS on July 21, 2025, when the comet was 277 million miles from Earth. (NASA/European Space Agency via AP)(AP)
What is 3I/ATLAS?
The NASA-funded ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) survey telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile, made the initial discovery of the comet on July 1 and officially named it 3I/ATLAS.
It was roughly 670 million kilometers away from Earth at the time. It “poses no threat to Earth,” according to NASA, and will stay at least 240 million kilometers away from the globe.
Darryl Seligman, a professor in the physics and astronomy department at Michigan State University, said the discovery of 3I/ATLAS was a “hugely exciting discovery”.
Two more interstellar objects were found before 3I/ATLAS. These were identified in 2017 and 2019, respectively, as 1I/Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov, as per Newsweek. Seligman said these objects were “from elsewhere in the galaxy because they have hyperbolic orbits, unbound from the solar system.”
Also read: Harvard astronomer warns interstellar object moving towards Earth could ‘save us or destroy us’
Is 3I/ATLAS alien technology?
Although 3I/ATLAS is widely accepted as a comet in the scientific community, a science professor from Harvard University, Abraham “Avi” Loeb, feels 3I/ATLAS could be alien technology due to eight “abnormalities” it has displayed.
Among other abnormalities, Loeb points out that 3I/ATLAS is larger and faster than previous comments found. He also argues that “the gas plume around 3I/ATLAS contains much more nickel than iron”.
Significance of October 29
According to Newsweek, 3I/ATLAS will reach its closest point to the sun on October 29. Meanwhile, NASA informed that 3I/ATLAS would reappear on the other side of the sun by early December.
FAQs:
What is 3I/ATLAS?
3I/ATLAS is the third comet from another solar system ever seen.
What comets were found before 3I/ATLAS?
1I/Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov were found before 3I/ATLAS.
When will 3I/ATLAS reach its closest point to the sun?
3I/ATLAS will reach its closest point to the sun on October 29.
