In the velvet darkness of our cosmic backyard, a ghost has appeared—and it may be older than the stars we know. Discovered on 1 July 2025 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in Río Hurtado, Chile, the interstellar comet known as 3I/ATLAS is not just a visitor; it is a time capsule from a forgotten era.
While our own solar system is a relatively youthful 4.6 billion years old, this icy wanderer is estimated to be between 8 and 14 billion years old. To put that into perspective, 3I/ATLAS may have begun its journey before our Sun even ignited, potentially originating from a star that has long since flickered out and died.
