An object from the depths of interstellar space is hurtling through our solar system, and its bizarre behaviour has sent the world's leading space agencies scrambling. The mysterious visitor, designated 3I/ATLAS, is exhibiting what scientists have called 'inexplicable' characteristics, prompting an unprecedented monitoring campaign.
Discovered in July 2025 by the NASA-funded ATLAS telescope in Chile, 3I/ATLAS is only the third interstellar object ever detected passing through our cosmic neighbourhood. It is travelling at a blistering speed of over 209,000 kilometres per hour on a path that confirms it originated from a different star system.
