In a dazzling new display of cosmic fireworks, the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has stunned astronomers by shooting an enormous jet of gas and dust directly toward the Sun — an event both mesmerizing and scientifically revealing. Captured in remarkable detail by the Two-meter Twin Telescope (TTT) at Spain’s Teide Observatory, the newly released images provide one of the clearest glimpses yet into how this ancient traveler behaves as it journeys through our solar system.
A Visitor from Beyond the Solar Neighborhood
Discovered in late June 2025 and confirmed by NASA in early July, 3I/ATLAS holds a special place in astronomical history. It’s only the third known interstellar object ever detected — following the mysterious ‘Oumuamua in 2017 and comet Borisov in 2019 — and at an estimated 3 to 7 miles (5 to 11 kilometers) wide, it’s also the largest. Even more fascinating, scientists suggest it could predate our Sun, making it potentially billions of years old and one of the oldest visitors our solar system has ever seen.
Originating from an unknown star system, 3I/ATLAS is moving at extraordinary speed, cutting across interstellar space before making its brief yet spectacular encounter with our corner of the galaxy. Despite its alien origins, however, most experts say its behavior is entirely natural.
A Stunning Image Confirms Its True Nature
The newly processed image, released on October 15 through The Astronomer’s Telegram, was created by stacking 159 individual 50-second exposures. The result is a breathtaking composite: a dark nucleus surrounded by a glowing white coma — and a bright, fan-shaped outburst of material blasting sunward.
At first glance, this jet, highlighted in violet by astronomers, might appear artificial — like the thrust of an engine. And indeed, some fringe theorists quickly speculated that 3I/ATLAS could be an alien probe or surveillance craft. But according to Miquel Serra-Ricart, chief science officer at the Teide Observatory’s Light Bridges Research Institute, the explanation is far more down-to-Earth — or rather, down-to-nature.
“This is the usual behavior for comets,” Serra-Ricart explained in an email to Live Science. “Jets always point toward the Sun, while the tail extends in the opposite direction.”
In other words, what might look like an act of interstellar technology is really just solar heating at work.
How a Comet’s Jet Is Born
Comets are essentially dirty snowballs — cosmic relics composed of ice, dust, and rock. As they draw closer to the Sun, solar radiation heats their frozen surfaces. However, this heating isn’t uniform. Certain patches, especially those with cracks or thinner crusts, begin to sublimate — a process where solid ice turns directly into gas. When pressure builds beneath the surface, it can erupt like a geyser, sending plumes of gas and dust thousands of miles into space.
The jet seen on 3I/ATLAS is a textbook example. As the comet spins, its rotating surface causes the outflowing gas to fan outward, forming the distinctive wedge shape visible in the telescope images. The same process was famously observed in Comet NEOWISE during its close approach to the Sun in 2020.
Part of the jet material contributes to the coma, the bright halo surrounding the comet’s nucleus, while solar wind pushes the rest outward, forming the iconic tail that points away from the Sun. This dual structure — a sun-facing jet and an anti-solar tail — is one of the signature characteristics of active comets.
Not an Alien Spaceship — Just Cosmic Chemistry
While speculation about extraterrestrial technology often flares up around interstellar visitors, astronomers emphasize that nothing about 3I/ATLAS suggests it’s anything but natural. “There’s no mystery here,” Serra-Ricart said. “It’s behaving exactly like we would expect a comet to behave.”
Earlier observations from the James Webb Space Telescope in August detected a vast cloud of carbon dioxide and dust surrounding the comet, consistent with typical cometary composition. The newly observed jet is likely made of the same materials, expanding roughly 6,200 miles (10,000 km) from the comet’s surface — an astonishing yet ordinary feat for such a body.
A Fiery Encounter with the Sun
3I/ATLAS made a close approach to Mars on October 3 and is now on course toward its perihelion — its closest point to the Sun — expected on October 29. For now, it’s hidden from Earth’s view on the far side of the Sun, but astronomers anticipate its reappearance by mid-November, when telescopes around the world will once again train their lenses on this cosmic wanderer.
When it returns to view, scientists hope to see how its surface and structure have changed after enduring the intense heat of the Sun. Will its jet grow stronger, or will it collapse under solar pressure? Will new plumes appear, or will the comet’s icy core begin to disintegrate? These are questions that the next round of observations will help answer.
A Rare Glimpse into the Origins of the Universe
Beyond its visual spectacle, 3I/ATLAS offers something even more profound — a time capsule from another star system. Studying its makeup could reveal how materials form and evolve in environments vastly different from our own. Since comets like this are composed of ancient, unaltered matter, they carry vital clues about planet formation, interstellar chemistry, and the early conditions of the universe.
For scientists, the comet is a gift — a fleeting chance to study alien material up close. For the public, it’s a humbling reminder that our solar system is not isolated but part of a larger cosmic neighborhood filled with ancient wanderers.
As 3I/ATLAS completes its brief solar dance before speeding back into the darkness between the stars, it leaves behind more knowledge — and a bit of wonder — about our place in the universe.