Chile’s ATLAS survey telescope has captured something extraordinary streaking across our cosmic neighborhood: an interstellar visitor named 3I/ATLAS that may be older than our entire solar system. Unlike typical comets that formed alongside our Sun and planets 4.5 billion years ago, this remarkable cosmic nomad has been drifting through the distant cosmos since long before Earth had oceans, trees, or any form of life. Scientists believe there’s a two-thirds chance this water-ice rich comet predates our solar system entirely, making it a genuine time capsule from a completely different part of the Milky Way galaxy. This incredible discovery marks only the third interstellar object ever detected, following ‘Oumuamua in 2017 and Borisov in 2019.
What makes 3I/ATLAS even more exciting is that it’s already showing signs of activity as it approaches the Sun, and early observations suggest it may be bigger and brighter than the previous interstellar visitors. The biggest telescopes in the world are now turning their attention to this ancient wanderer, hoping to unlock secrets about the formation of other star systems and the early universe. For stargazers on Earth, 3I/ATLAS is expected to be visible with amateur telescopes in late 2025 and early 2026, offering everyone a chance to witness a piece of cosmic history that’s been traveling toward us for billions of years.