New 3i Atlas Hubble Photos Show Interstellar Object Is A Comet - But Why Does It Pulsate Like A Heartbeat?

The comet’s composition, rich in carbon dioxide and other ices, provides rare insight into material from beyond the Solar System. (Credit: Michael Jäger)

Fresh images from the Hubble Space Telescope have provided the clearest confirmation yet that the interstellar object known as 3I/ATLAS is an active comet rich in volatile ices, according to data published by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).

First detected in July 2025 by the ATLAS survey in Hawaii, 3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed visitor from beyond the Solar System ever observed. Scientists say its structure and behaviour closely match those of known comets, despite its origin outside the Sun's gravitational influence.