Recently, NASA’s ATLAS telescope, part of its asteroid impact alert system, detected a never-before-seen interstellar object, the comet 3I/ATLAS. Experts estimate it measures between 20 and 30 kilometers in diameter and follows a trajectory confirming that it does not belong to our solar system as we know it.
The comet was visible from Earth using powerful telescopes until September 2025. After that, it will move too close to the Sun and disappear from view, only to reappear in December from the opposite side of its orbit.
The “I” in its name signifies its interstellar origin, meaning it comes from far beyond our solar system. It is only the third object of this kind ever recorded, following Oumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019.
Some scientists have speculated that this cosmic traveler could be an alien spacecraft due to its unusual speed and trajectory. However, NASA has dismissed that idea, confirming that its behavior is consistent with that of a typical comet, with expected dust activity and an icy core.
Does this comet pose any threat to our planet?
Not at all. Studies show that 3I/ATLAS will pass at a safe distance of about 240 million kilometers from Earth, far too distant to cause any collision or unusual effects on our planet.
