Astrophysicists are scrambling to study an ancient comet from another star system that entered the solar system this year, and which has already swung past Mars.Dubbed 3I/ATLAS, the comet poses no threat to Earth or its neighbouring planets, but has aroused immense interest as space agencies train their sights on what is only one of three interstellar objects detected by scientists.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listHere is what we know about the object that is intriguing scientists: A diagram released by NASA on July 2, 2025 shows the trajectory of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it passes through the solar system [NASA/JPL-Caltech via Reuters]What is the 3I/ATLAS?The comet is only the third interstellar object ever recorded to pass through Earth’s solar system from another star. Comets are celestial bodies made of ice, dust and gas which orbit the sun. They are considered remnants from when the solar system formed approximately 4.6 billion years ago.3I/ATLAS was first discovered in July by scientist Larry Dennau of the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope team, located in Rio Hurtado, Chile. The project is funded by NASA and is operated by researchers at the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy.Before this, 1I/’Oumuamua, a rocky, cigar-shaped object, was discovered by Canada’s Robert Weryk using the Pan-STARRS telescope at Haleakala Observatory, Hawaii, in October 2017.In August 2019, 2I/Borisov, a “rogue comet” – one that is not bound by gravity to any particular star system, so is travelling freely through space – was discovered b …
