Meet 3I-ATLAS, The Ancient Cosmic Voyager: Could This Interstellar Comet Be Older Than The Sun?
Zee News
Interstellar comet 3I-ATLAS is a rare cosmic visitor that may be older than our Sun, offering scientists a unique glimpse into the early Milky Way. Its ancient origins and unusual composition could help unlock secrets about the formation of stars and planets.
When astronomers spotted a faint object speeding through the outer Solar System in mid-2025, no one expected it to rewrite parts of cosmic history. The object, now called 3I/ATLAS, has quickly become one of the most fascinating space discoveries in recent years. Early studies suggest it was not formed with our Sun or even within our familiar corner of the Milky Way. Scientists believe this mysterious comet could be a relic from the galaxy’s earliest days, possibly billions of years older than Earth and even older than the Sun itself.
As researchers rush to observe it before it disappears back into interstellar space, 3I/ATLAS is offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study ancient material created around long-dead stars. Its brief visit has also sparked public curiosity and debate, including cautious discussions about unusual features that some scientists believe deserve closer examination.
3I/ATLAS was first detected on 1 July 2025 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) observatory in Chile. Almost immediately, astronomers noticed something unusual about its movement. Unlike normal comets that orbit the Sun, this object was travelling far too fast to be held by the Sun’s gravity.
Further calculations showed that it followed a hyperbolic path, confirming that it had entered our Solar System from interstellar space and would eventually leave it forever. This made it only the third confirmed interstellar object ever observed, after 1I/‘Oumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019. While its official name is C/2025 N1 (ATLAS), it is widely known as 3I/ATLAS, highlighting its rare status.
What truly sets 3I/ATLAS apart is its estimated age. Research led by Associate Professor Michele Bannister from the University of Canterbury suggests the comet could be between 8 and 14 billion years old. For comparison, our Solar System is only about 4.6 billion years old.
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Interstellar comet 3I-ATLAS is a rare cosmic visitor that may be older than our Sun, offering scientists a unique glimpse into the early Milky Way. Its ancient origins and unusual composition could help unlock secrets about the formation of stars and planets.
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