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12 billion years old, this interstellar comet is older than our solar system
One year ago, on July 1, 2025, astronomers discovered a fascinating new object moving through the solar system. Detected by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), the object was quickly recognized as something special.
Summary
One year ago, on July 1, 2025, astronomers discovered a fascinating new object moving through the solar system. Detected by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), the object was quickly recognized as something special. Tearing past at record speed, the comet, known as 3I/ATLAS , is only the third interstellar object ever detected. Born around another star, it was a fleeting visitor that is now heading out of the solar system at more than 60 kilometers per second, never to return.
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