New Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Tracked in Chile, Hawaii

Astronomers have discovered the third known interstellar object, a comet named 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1), which originated from beyond our solar system and is passing through on a one-way trajectory. First spotted on July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS survey in Hawaii and independently recorded earlier by an observatory in Chile, 3I/ATLAS travels at an extraordinary speed and has an orbital eccentricity over 6, confirming its interstellar origin. Unlike the rocky 'Oumuamua and comet Borisov, 3I/ATLAS exhibits classic cometary features such as a bright coma and outgassing, with an estimated nucleus size up to 20 kilometers wide. NASA confirmed that the comet poses no threat to Earth and will reach its closest approach near Mars's orbit on October 29, 2025, remaining observable with telescopes until September and again after December. The comet's discovery offers scientists a rare opportunity to study a visitor from another star system up close, deepening our understanding of such cosmic travelers. Observatories including Gemini North in Hawaii and facilities in Chile have played key roles in capturing detailed images and footage of this rare interstellar comet.