The interstellar comet 3I/ATLASdiscovered in July 2025 and recognized as the third object from outside our solar systemcontinues to give something to talk about even after he has moved away. Its passage through the vicinity of the Earth and its orbit around the Sun left several questions open, but new observations show that its story is still far from over. What does the new data indicate? This is what is known.
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A recent study published on the portal arXivled by the researcher Michael Werneranalyzed data from the space observatory SPHEREx from NASA and found something unexpected: after its closest passage to the Sun (perihelion), the comet’s activity increased significantly.
Infrared images reveal that the celestial body began to release large amounts of water, gases and organic compounds, much more than had been observed before.
carbon monoxide and organic compounds. (Reference photo: ESA/XMM-Newton/C. Lisse, S. Cabot & the XMM ISO Team)” decoding=”async” class=”lazy story-contents__image w-full o-cover” style=”–aspect-ratio:740/700″ width=”740″ height=”700″/>Data from the SPHEREx observatory show that 3I/ATLAS began releasing large amounts of water, carbon monoxide and organic compounds. (Reference photo: ESA/XMM-Newton/C. Lisse, S. Cabot & the XMM ISO Team)
Prior to that solar approach, when 3I/ATLAS was located between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, it seemed like a relatively inactive body. In August 2025, the analyzes mainly detected carbon dioxide, while other substances such as water, carbon monoxide and organic molecules were barely perceived or did not appear in the data at all.
However, everything changed after perihelion (closest approach of the comet to the Sun), which occurred on October 29, 2025. Subsequently, December observations showed a much more dynamic comet, with strong emissions of water, CO, CO₂ and various organic compounds such as methanol and methane.
The amount of gases released increased up to about 20 times, suggesting that the Sun’s heat reached deeper layers of the coreactivating ice that previously remained intact.
Before perihelion, the object appeared relatively inactive and only emitted small amounts of gas. (Reference photo: Josep M. Trigo-Rodríguez / B06 Montseny Observatory)
This behavior is similar to that of many comets in the solar system, where progressive heating releases first the most volatile compounds and then other heavier ones.
The case of 3I/ATLAS is especially interesting because indicates that its chemical composition and its way of reacting to solar heat could be more common in the universe than previously thoughtwhich provides clues about how icy bodies form in other star systems.
Although the results have yet to be reviewed by the scientific community, the study marks an important step toward better understanding interstellar objects. In addition, it opens the door for future visits by similar comets to provide more information about the physical and chemical processes that occur beyond our cosmic neighborhood.
What the most advanced telescopes in the world concluded after analyzing comet 3I/ATLAS
Table of Contents
- What the most advanced telescopes in the world concluded after analyzing comet 3I/ATLAS
- What’s next for comet 3I/ATLAS after approaching Earth
- Why the approach of 3I/ATLAS to Jupiter is key
- What is the “black swan” effect that makes 3I/ATLAS a possible threat to humanity, according to an astrophysicist
- 3I/ATLAS trajectory (2026 onwards)
After being discovered in July 2025, 3I/ATLAS was quickly confirmed to have come from outside the Solar System, becoming only the third object of its type detected.
Although speculation arose on social networks about a possible artificial origin, The majority of the scientific community maintains that it is a natural comet. To study it, top-level telescopes such as Hubble, James Webb, Gemini South, Very Large Telescope and radio observatories on different continents were used.
The Breakthrough Listen project, dedicated to searching for signs of intelligent life, pointed several radio telescopes at the object. One of them, the Allen Telescope Array, concluded after its observations that: “We did not find any signal that deserves additional analysis”.
Similar results came from the MeerKAT radio telescope, whose data confirmed that the chemical and physical behavior of the comet is consistent with that of a common comet and that “they do not detect signals of technological origin”.
Fernando Camilo, chief scientist of the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory, highlighted the value of collaborative work and said: “We are happy to contribute, together with colleagues from around the world, to a more complete understanding of this extraordinary natural phenomenon: a comet that probably formed in another star system and that now briefly passes through ours.”
Comet 3I/ATLAS was discovered in July 2025 and confirmed its interstellar origin, becoming one of the rarest objects ever observed. (Photo: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SWRI)
These conclusions were added to observations from the Green Bank Telescope, which indicated that “no artificial radio emission located in 3I/ATLAS was detected.”
The general conclusion of the Breakthrough Listen project was forceful: “No technosignatures have been detected in any of these searches. 3I/ATLAS continues to behave as expected according to natural astrophysical processes…”, although they assured that they will continue monitoring future interstellar objects.
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However, the Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb He questioned these conclusions and maintained that the analyzes are not definitive.
He considers that observing the object for a short time is not enough to rule out alternative hypotheses and warns that there are still anomalies to investigate, especially when the comet approaches Jupiter.
Although he clarifies that he does not claim that it is an artificial ship, he insists that closing the case would be premature and that Science should apply greater caution in the face of potentially high-impact phenomena.
What’s next for comet 3I/ATLAS after approaching Earth
After its approach to Earth on December 19, comet 3I/ATLAS continues its journey through the solar system. At that time it was at a very great distance from our planet, so it did not represent any danger. Scientists took advantage of this relative proximity to observe it with telescopes and collect more data on its composition and behavior.
After passing close to Earth, 3I/ATLAS is gradually moving away from the Sun. As it cools, its activity will decrease: it will release less gas and its brightness will fade. This is normal for comets, which tend to be most active when they are close to the Sun and lose energy as they move away.
The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has already marked its next key moment within the Solar System. (Reference image created by El Comercio MAG using “Perplexity” AI)
The next key point in your career will be its approach to Jupiterscheduled for March 2026. The giant planet’s enormous gravity could slightly alter its path, something astronomers will follow closely. These interactions help us better understand how objects arriving from outside the solar system move.
Eventually, the comet will continue its journey into deep space and probably will not come close to Earth again. Even so, the data collected during this period will continue to be analyzed for years, since 3I/ATLAS is a rare object and offers valuable clues about what is happening beyond our solar system.
Why the approach of 3I/ATLAS to Jupiter is key
The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS generates great scientific interest because its trajectory will take it to pass relatively close to Jupiter, a region where the space environment is very intense. This proximity offers a special opportunity to observe how an object from outside the Solar System behaves when passing through an environment dominated by the strong gravity and radiation of the giant planete.
During this approach, astronomers will be able to study whether Jupiter’s gravity modifies the shape of the comet, its speed or its tail. These changes allow us to better understand the structure and composition of the object, something that is very difficult to analyze when the comet is far away and barely emits light.
Additionally, Jupiter’s magnetic and radiation environment can affect the comet’s material. Observing these interactions helps scientists learn how small bodies react to extreme conditions, providing clues about the evolution of other comets and similar objects in the universe.
The passage of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS through the Solar System aroused enormous scientific interest, especially due to its approach to the region near Jupiter. (Photo: NASA)
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Finally, these types of observations not only improve knowledge about 3I/ATLAS, but also strengthen the study of the Jupiter system itself.
The information obtained serves as a basis for future research on giant planets and moons such as Europa and Ganymede, considered places of great scientific interest.
What is the “black swan” effect that makes 3I/ATLAS a possible threat to humanity, according to an astrophysicist
Astrophysicist Avi Loeb uses the concept of “black swans,” a term for very unlikely but high-impact events, to explain why the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS should be taken seriously. He points out that the doubt about whether it is a common comet or something different could be due to the fear of facing a rare event with potentially enormous consequences.
Loeb stated: “If you have a low probability event and you multiply it by a large impact on society, it should be taken seriously…”comparing this situation with unexpected historical events such as September 11 or the Trojan Horse, where underestimating risks had devastating effects.
Scientist Avi Loeb argues that the 3I/ATLAS object could fit the “black swan” concept. (Photo: NASA / JPL-Caltech / University of Arizona)
In addition, he suggested that the authorities could be acting cautiously so as not to cause panic or “cry wolf” prematurely (in reference to the classic fable); However, he highlighted that “It is the first astronomical object to receive so much attention from intelligence agencies, including the CIA.”which makes the case something unprecedented.
Finally, he maintained that, beyond what happens with 3I/ATLAS, this experience should serve to improve scientific protocols and better prepare humanity for rare but potentially dangerous cosmic phenomena.
3I/ATLAS trajectory (2026 onwards)
- January – February 2026: After its close pass by Earth in December 2025, the comet continues to lose brightness as it moves away from the Sun, but is still visible with amateur telescopes in the night sky.
- March 2026: It will pass about 31 million kilometers from Jupiter. This is a key milestone, since probes such as JUICE or Europa Clipper could capture nearby images.
- May 2026: The comet will once again enter an area where the Sun will block its observation from Earth. At this point, you will already be beyond the orbit of Jupiter.
- September 2026: It will again be detectable by large ground-based telescopes as it crosses the region of Saturn’s orbit. Its activity (the coma and the tail) will decrease drastically as it cools.
- April 2027: Passage through the orbit of Uranus. At an immense distance from the Sun, the comet will be just a faint speck detectable only by professional observatories such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
- 2028 onwards: Due to its hyperbolic orbit, the comet carries enough speed to escape the Sun’s gravity. It will become an eternal traveler in the void between the stars, with no possibility of ever returning.
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