Unveiling 3I/Atlas: Is This Mysterious Interstellar Object the Oldest Comet Ever Discovered?

A recent discovery has scientists buzzing: a mysterious object named 3I/Atlas might be the oldest comet ever spotted. According to researchers from Oxford University, this comet could be older than our solar system by about three billion years.

3I/Atlas is only the third known interstellar object we’ve detected, having been first spotted on July 1, 2025, by the Atlas telescope in Chile, when it was about 670 million kilometers from the Sun. It’s currently located at a distance similar to that of Jupiter from Earth, making it visible only through large telescopes.

Matthew Hopkins, an astronomer at Oxford, shared his excitement. After focusing four years on predicting such discoveries for his PhD, he’s thrilled to find one just like he imagined. He estimates the comet’s age could exceed seven billion years, marking it as a potentially groundbreaking interstellar visitor.

High on the excitement, the research team believes that 3I/Atlas might have formed around an ancient star. It’s likely composed of a significant amount of water ice. This means that as it gets closer to the Sun, the heat will warm its surface, releasing vapors and dust to create a stunning tail.

Chris Lintott, a co-author of the study, emphasized the significance of this event. “This comet is older than our solar system, drifting through interstellar space for eons,” he noted. Understanding 3I/Atlas helps astronomers learn about the history of our galaxy and its stellar populations.

Later this year, amateur astronomers will have a chance to catch a glimpse of 3I/Atlas from Earth. The excitement doesn’t stop there; before it, only two other interstellar comets were documented. 1I/’Oumuamua was discovered in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019.

Looking forward, astronomers are gearing up for the launch of the Vera C Rubin Observatory in Chile. This powerful telescope is expected to scan the night sky and might discover between five and fifty new interstellar objects per year. This could open a window to understanding more about the universe and its many secrets.

For those eager to learn more about the cosmos, the ongoing discoveries remind us that the universe is vast and filled with wonders waiting to be explored.



Source link