The object known as 3I/ATLAS is an interstellar comet and only the third of its kind confirmed by science. It was detected in early July 2025 by the NASA-funded ATLAS telescope system, and initial analyses determined that it follows a hyperbolic orbit, confirming that it does not belong to the Solar System and is only passing through.
Orbital calculations indicate that 3I/ATLAS originated from interstellar space, entering from a direction associated with the galactic disk near the constellation Sagittarius. Although it is not possible to precisely identify the star system from which it was ejected, scientists believe it could be an extremely ancient object, formed billions of years ago in another region of the Milky Way.
Following its detection, NASA reported that the comet poses no threat to Earth. Observations made with ground-based and space-based telescopes showed that the object has an active coma, composed of dust and gases such as water vapor and carbon dioxide, confirming its cometary nature and ruling out extraordinary scenarios.
The discovery sparked great interest among astronomers, as these bodies act as messengers from other star systems. Each interstellar object offers valuable information about the composition and formation processes of planets outside our solar system, something impossible to obtain otherwise.
As for its fate, specialists are clear: 3I/ATLAS will not return. Its trajectory will take it back into interstellar space after its passage through the Solar System, and another close approach is not expected for at least 80 million years, making its visit unique on both a human and scientific scale.
