NASA’s Space Telescope Unveils Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Hidden in a Mysterious Carbon Dioxide Fog

On July 1, 2025, a remote telescope in Chile discovered a remarkable new comet named 3I/ATLAS. What makes this comet special? It’s not bound by the Sun’s gravity, indicating it came from beyond our solar system. This makes 3I/ATLAS the largest and brightest of just three known interstellar objects visiting us.

The scientific community is buzzing about 3I/ATLAS. Researchers worldwide, including those from NASA’s new space observatory SPHEREx, are keen to study it. SPHEREx specializes in capturing the universe in incredible detail, mapping wavelengths that are hard to detect from Earth.

SPHEREx has found a significant amount of carbon dioxide gas around 3I/ATLAS, along with water ice in its core. This discovery is important because it suggests that comets from other star systems, like 3I/ATLAS, could have similar characteristics to those formed in our solar system. Johns Hopkins University astronomer Carey Lisse notes that the carbon dioxide levels hint that this comet behaves like familiar solar system comets.

Comets are fascinating because they contain water, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide—ice compounds that can tell us about their formation. “The composition of a comet reflects the conditions during its creation,” Lisse explains. Comets formed far from the Sun should have all three types of ice due to their remote location, while those closer will have lost some of their carbon monoxide.

Interestingly, the data from SPHEREx also indicates that 3I/ATLAS has likely traveled a long distance through the Milky Way. It might be two to three times older than any comet we know of in our solar system. This shows us that not only are comets valuable indicators of cosmic history, but they can also reveal the conditions of other star systems.

Olivier Doré, a project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, emphasizes the broader implications of SPHEREx’s work. By mapping the sky in 102 different wavelengths, we can learn about everything from distant galaxies to nearby comets. This unique capability allows scientists to gather unprecedented data, providing fresh insights into celestial phenomena.

As 3I/ATLAS approaches the Sun, it will reach its closest point, or perihelion, in late October. This is when scientists expect it to produce a larger water coma, enhancing its visibility and allowing for even more detailed observation.

The SPHEREx team is excited about these findings, having already published a brief report and planning to share a more in-depth study soon. The continuous monitoring of 3I/ATLAS promises to deepen our understanding of the universe and the mysteries it holds.

For more technical details on these discoveries, check out the full studies published by the team here.

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