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Sensation in the night sky: The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is approaching!
Experience the phenomenon of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS over Lower Saxony - a scientific event of historical importance!
Sensation in the night sky: The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is approaching!
On July 1, 2025, the extraordinary comet 3I/ATLAS was discovered by the ATLAS automatic telescope in Chile and has been causing a stir in the scientific world ever since. Its passage is celebrated as a sensation because it is the third interstellar object to be observed in the solar system. Oxford University scientist Matthew Hopkins estimates that 3I/ATLAS could be over seven billion years old, and its origins in the Milky Way's "thick disk" suggest it came from a region of ancient, ice-rich stars. The comet is hurtling toward the sun at over 200,000 kilometers per hour near the orbits of Jupiter and Mars.
It will be exciting because at the end of October 2025 3I/ATLAS will reach its closest approach to the Sun and at the end of December it will reach its closest point to the Earth. Despite this closeness, it will still be almost twice as far away as our star. For astronomy enthusiasts, it is only visible with large telescopes, which is why a large number of NASA instruments are already planned for observation. These include the Hubble Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope and other systems that deal with the analysis of interstellar objects. As NASA reports, a stunning image of the comet was captured on July 21, 2025, showing its tear-shaped dust cap around the frozen core.
A window into other solar systems
The scientific importance of 3I/ATLAS should not be underestimated. Interstellar comets offer researchers the opportunity to learn more about the chemical composition of other solar systems. Analysis of the chemical and mineralogical composition of comets, asteroids, and other small bodies in the solar system can shed light on the origins of water on Earth and the formation of our solar system. The Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research emphasizes that comets release gases and dust as they approach the sun, which is caused by the sublimation of volatile substances.
In recent years, various missions and telescopes have helped to better understand the surface properties and structures of comets. The Rosetta mission to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko provided valuable insights into the activity and properties of these fascinating celestial bodies.
Looking into the future
It looks like observing 3I/ATLAS will be an exciting event not only for scientists but also for those interested. Although there remains a lot to do before the comet reaches its maximum visibility, the anticipation is already palpable. Research on such objects could not only tell us more about our own solar system, but also broaden our view of the diversity and complexity of the universe.