NASA Detects Largest Interstellar Visitor Approaching Solar System

Astronomers have detected a rare interstellar object named 3I/ATLAS, only the third such visitor observed in history, hurtling through our solar system. It was first spotted on July 1, 2025, by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Chile and is believed to have originated from outside our solar system due to its unusual trajectory and high speed, which prevents it from being captured by the Sun's gravity. The comet-like object, approximately 12 miles (20 kilometers) wide, is currently inside Jupiter's orbit and is expected to make its closest approach to the Sun and planets in October, coming within 37 million miles of Mars and passing inside Mars' orbit. Scientists are racing to study 3I/ATLAS as it approaches, hoping to learn more about its composition before it heats up and changes in the inner solar system; it should remain visible through much of September and reappear after December. This discovery follows the detection of two previous interstellar objects: 'Oumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019, both of which sparked significant scientific interest, with 'Oumuamua even briefly considered a possible alien probe. The observation of 3I/ATLAS offers a unique opportunity to study a frozen relic from another planetary system, enhancing our understanding of objects from beyond our solar neighborhood.