Interstellar comet 31/ATLAS may be oldest cosmic traveler ever observed
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Nov 03, 2025, 18:24 IST
Astronomers have identified 31/ATLAS, a rare interstellar comet believed to have originated beyond our solar system. Detected in July 2025 by the ATLAS telescope in Hawaii, the object displays unusual chemical properties, including an exceptionally high carbon-dioxide-to-water ratio. Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble suggest it may be one of the oldest active comets ever recorded, potentially formed in a distant and extremely cold stellar environment. As it travels through our solar system, 31/ATLAS continues to emit gas and dust, offering valuable insights into ancient cosmic material and the early stages of planetary formation in other star systems.
In July 2025, scientists spotted something unusual flying through space —a faint dot that didn't quite behave like any other comet. Using the Atlas Telescope system in Hawaii, they traced its path and made a jaw-dropping discovery. The subject wasn't just from our solar system at all; it came from somewhere beyond the stars.
They named it 31/ATLAS, marking it as only the third interstellar object ever found after Onumunama and the Borisov. Now, what makes this 31/ATLAS so fascinating is its foreign nature. When the astronomers observed it with the very powerful telescope named James Webb Space Telescope and the humble Hubble, they noticed something strange. It had a very, very high amount of carbon dioxide compared to water. It had nearly 8 times more of it.
Some researchers even claim that 31/Atlas could be the oldest comet that has ever been observed. Formed a billion years ago and its home star was still young, its strange color pattern was seen as a strange rainbow-like glow through telescopes that suggests that it is covered with ancient cosmic dust that has traveled from unimaginable distances.
For comets in our solar system, that's unheard of. This is very unusual, and this unusual chemistry suggests that 31/ATLAS was born in a much colder environment, around another star, that is far away from any warmth like our sun. What is even more amazing is that the comet is still active. It moves through our solar system. It releases gas and dust, forming a shining tail that stretches across space. It's alive in its own way. It is breathing, glowing, and leaving traces on its long journey. Scientists say it's like a messenger carrying secrets of the world above. One can only imagine.
But beyond this science, 31/ATLAS feels almost poetic. It's a traveler from distant galaxies passing by just once before disappearing forever in the dark. It actually reminds us how small we are and how small and less discovered the space is still. Yet, how connected everything is in the universe, and it might even be more. For a brief moment, we get to witness something that began its story from billions of years and light-years away. It is like a visitor from another home.
They named it 31/ATLAS, marking it as only the third interstellar object ever found after Onumunama and the Borisov. Now, what makes this 31/ATLAS so fascinating is its foreign nature. When the astronomers observed it with the very powerful telescope named James Webb Space Telescope and the humble Hubble, they noticed something strange. It had a very, very high amount of carbon dioxide compared to water. It had nearly 8 times more of it.
Some researchers even claim that 31/Atlas could be the oldest comet that has ever been observed. Formed a billion years ago and its home star was still young, its strange color pattern was seen as a strange rainbow-like glow through telescopes that suggests that it is covered with ancient cosmic dust that has traveled from unimaginable distances.
For comets in our solar system, that's unheard of. This is very unusual, and this unusual chemistry suggests that 31/ATLAS was born in a much colder environment, around another star, that is far away from any warmth like our sun. What is even more amazing is that the comet is still active. It moves through our solar system. It releases gas and dust, forming a shining tail that stretches across space. It's alive in its own way. It is breathing, glowing, and leaving traces on its long journey. Scientists say it's like a messenger carrying secrets of the world above. One can only imagine.
But beyond this science, 31/ATLAS feels almost poetic. It's a traveler from distant galaxies passing by just once before disappearing forever in the dark. It actually reminds us how small we are and how small and less discovered the space is still. Yet, how connected everything is in the universe, and it might even be more. For a brief moment, we get to witness something that began its story from billions of years and light-years away. It is like a visitor from another home.