Scientists have discovered an enigmatic new body moving rapidly across our solar system, which they believe comes from outside the solar neighborhood. Initially observed on July 2, 2025, using the ATLAS sky survey telescope based in Chile, this object—officially designated as 3I/Atlas (C/2025 N1)—is recognized as just the third recorded interstellar traveler, following ‘Oumuamua detected in 2017 and Comet 2I/Borisov seen in 2019. Moving swiftly at approximately 60 kilometers per second and currently about 416 million miles away from the Sun, the object seems to follow a hyperbolic path, indicating that it probably entered our solar system from deep space. According to NASA, there’s absolutely no danger posed by this cosmic wanderer to planet Earth.
NASA confirms arrival of third identified object from beyond our solar system
Initially labeled A11pl3z, the object was first spotted by the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) located in Chile. Later, NASA along with various astronomical observatories managed to trace its trajectory back to June 14, identifying an unmistakable hyperbolic orbital pattern indicative of an origin beyond our Solar System. Renowned now as 3I/Atlas, this celestial body becomes part of a rare category of verified interstellar travelers, contributing new insights into how frequent these galactic nomads might actually be within our Milky Way galaxy. Presently, the object is making its way towards the inner regions of our planetary neighborhood coming from the general area occupied by the constellation Sagittarius.
Scientists continue to study whether it’s a comet or an asteroid
Initially thought to be an asteroid, new findings have shown slight indications of cometary behavior. A delicate coma and brief tail were detected by the Minor Planet Center, leading to its designation under two categories: C/2025 N1. Due to early glow estimates, scientists speculated about a nucleus measuring roughly 20 km across; however, current assessments indicate this might include material dispersed into space forming what could essentially make up part of observed dimensions—meaning actual body itself remains comparatively small.. This celestial entity will approach nearest position relative our star approximately during late morning hours October 30th , passing marginally inside path traced out previously marked Martian trajectory around same central focus – Sun.
Earth remains safe, yet an amazing celestial display is coming our way.
Though its beginnings might seem remarkable, NASA confirms that 3I/Atlas will stay far enough away from Earth, always remaining at least around 150 million miles distant. As it approaches the Sun, the celestial body could glow brighter and come within view of backyard telescopes during late 2025 and early 2026. A live stream has been arranged by the Virtual Telescope Project for those excited to observe this uncommon event. Researchers believe examining this space wanderer can offer meaningful understanding regarding the structure and movement of objects beyond our solar system.