Astronomers at NASA have discovered a comet that originated from interstellar space, officially named 3I/ATLAS. The comet was first detected by the ATLAS telescope in Chile on July 1 and is now located about 420 million miles away. Since then, additional observations have been gathered from around the world, showing no threat to Earth.
The comet will reach its closest approach to the Sun on October 30, at a distance of 130 million miles, just inside Mars’ orbit. Its size and physical properties are being studied by astronomers worldwide. The comet should remain visible in the sky until September, when it passes too close to the Sun to be observed.
It is expected to reappear on the other side of the Sun by early December, allowing for renewed observations. NASA’s discovery offers a rare opportunity to study an interstellar object and its properties.
Source: https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/planetary-defense/2025/07/02/nasa-discovers-interstellar-comet-moving-through-solar-system