What Is an Interstellar Comet? NASA’s Latest Discovery Explained

NASA has made an attractive discovery that is attracting the attention of scientists and space enthusiasts around the world - a rare interstellar comet traveling through our solar system. Unlike ordinary comets that originate within our solar system and orbit the sun, an interstellar comet comes from another star system. This means that it carries the material formed in a completely different cosmic environment. The newly studied comet, 2i/Borisov, is only the second confirmed interstellar object. Its high speed and unusual path clearly show that it is just passing, never to return. This rare encounter offers scientists a unique opportunity to study, behavior, and study a visitor from a deep place, given the boundaries of our solar system.

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What is an Interstellar Comet? 

An interstellar comet is a comet that does not originate from our solar system. Instead, this comes from another star system, which is somewhere in the Galaxy. These comets are made of ice, dust, and rock, just like regular comets - but they travel on a hyperbolic path, meaning that they are just passing through our solar system and not returning.

Unlike the typical comets revolving around the sun, the interstellar comet is captured by the Sun's gravity. He is believed to have been excluded from his original planetary systems due to gravity negotiations and traveled in Interstellar Space for millions or billions of years. Their rare trips give scientists a unique opportunity to study from outside our solar system and learn how other planetary systems can be formed.

July 2025: The Rare Interstellar Comet Spotted

NASA reveals the rare interstellar comet walking through our solar system. In July 2025, NASA confirmed the discovery of a new interstellar comet, traveling through our solar system: 3i/Atlas. This is only the third time in history that scientists have seen a comet that comes from outside our solar system. 

It was first seen by a telescope in July 2025, and further research showed that it had already entered our solar system weeks ago. This makes this comet special because it is not from the family of our Sun's planets and objects. Its very fast speed and unusual path tell scientists that it probably came from another star system.

 It is moving around 60 kilometers per second and currently exceeds 400 million miles from the Sun. The comet is active, which means that it is giving off gas and dust as it travels, creating a faint tail. 

NASA says that it is not a threat to the Earth - it will be more than 150 million miles from us all the time. This will come closer to the sun around October 30, 2025, and then will continue back on a deep place on its journey. 

This rare phenomenon gives scientists a valuable opportunity to study what comets are from other star systems, and helps us learn more about how planets and solar systems are formed in the universe.