In 2025, astronomers discovered 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar comet to visit our solar system, following 1I/ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov. This comet, studied using advanced telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, is believed to be around 12 billion years old, predating our solar system. Its composition suggests it originated from a much colder region than any comets in our solar system, challenging our understanding of these celestial bodies. This discovery, along with future observations from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, could reveal more about the universe’s outer reaches and our solar system’s uniqueness.
QUESTION: How might discovering more interstellar comets like 3I/ATLAS change our understanding of the universe and our place in it?
Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS is almost as old as the universe itself
