Scientists have just discovered that an interstellar object called 3I/ATLAS is zipping through the solar system—but, like, in a weird way. Weird enough for NASA to keep an eye on it.
First spotted in July 2025, Science Alert reports that 3I/ATLAS is defying observers’ expectations because it’s not behaving like a typical comet. Four space observatories, including NASA’s Hubble, TESS, SPHEREx, and the James Webb Space Telescope, have all got an eye on it. They’re all trying to figure out what’s up with this weird thing.
First, it’s somewhat like a comet, but not entirely. It’s missing a lot of the hallmarks of the classic comets. It’s icy (like a comet), so as it hurls toward the Sun, it’s shedding gas and leaving behind a tail.
But there appears to be a lot more to its composition than usual. For starters, Webb and SPHEREx found that it has the highest carbon dioxide-to-water ratio ever seen in a comet.
It’s also visible to observers way earlier than it should be. TESS found archived images of it lighting up from a whopping six astronomical units away, farther than Jupiter, where most comets are still frozen, quiet, and practically invisible to us here on Earth.
Even Our Best Telescopes Can’t Figure Out This Weird Comet
Observers using the Hubble telescope suggest that 3I/ATLAS has more of a “teardrop-shaped cocoon” of dust than a distinct comet tail. Harvard astronomer and professional alien-hypothesis enjoyer Avi Loeb even suggested it might be a probe from another civilization—though, in fairness, Loeb thinks half the universe might be extraterrestrials making their way to Earth.
As for where it came from, some researchers think it formed closer to its own system’s CO₂ ice line or maybe got blasted by way more radiation than any local comet ever has. Either way, it’s not from around here.
There’s still plenty of time to observe it, as it will be making some cosmic flybys past Mars, Venus, and Jupiter before it leaves forever. NASA’s Juno and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter might sneak in a closer look while they have the chance.
Still, until then, 3I/ATLAS remains a fast-flying mystery that’s heading in our general direction.
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