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International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Melvin Gascon

EXPLAINED: 3i atlas update new data reveals materials from another star | Rare Historical Photos

Astronomers say interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is carrying chemicals and dust shaped by another star’s environment, based on new readings from space telescopes. (Credit: NASA)

Astronomers studying 3I/ATLAS, the third confirmed interstellar object ever recorded, say new data reveal that the comet carries material forged around a different star, offering an unprecedented peek into the chemical makeup of planetary systems beyond our own.

Discovered on 1 July 2025 by the ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial‑impact Last Alert System) survey telescope in Chile, 3I/ATLAS has a hyperbolic trajectory, confirming it is merely passing through the Solar System, never to return.

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