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Space
Space
Science
Daisy Dobrijevic

New interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is hurtling through the solar system — and you can watch it live online today

A rare but faint interstellar visitor from beyond our solar system is racing toward the sun — and you can watch it live online today!

Astronomers have identified this cosmic interloper as 3I/ATLAS, making it only the third confirmed object from outside the solar system after 'Oumuamua (2017) and comet 2I/Borisov (2019). The interstellar comet, originally designated C/2025 N1 (ATLAS), was observed on July 1 by the NASA-funded ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile. It has since been designated 3I/ATLAS by the Minor Planet Center (MPC), with "3I" marking it as the third known interstellar object.

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