Comet 31/ATLAS is drawing global attention as its trajectory toward Jupiter becomes increasingly complex—and scientifically revealing. The object’s interstellar origin places it in the same rare class as ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov, prompting fascination and speculation alike.
With the UN activating planetary defenses on November 28 in preparation for its December 29 approach, the comet has become a real-time case study in how gravity, sunlight, and volatile ices sculpt an object born around another star.
Comet 31/ ATLAS Traveling with a One-Way Ticket Through the Solar System
When astronomers confirmed that 3I/ATLAS was the third known interstellar object, they were making a precise orbital statement: its path is not gravitationally bound to the Sun. That means the comet must have originated beyond our solar system before drifting into our neighborhood.
Unlike long-period comets that slingshot around the Sun on elongated loops, 3I/ATLAS will pass through once and never return—a fleeting visit that has observatories worldwide scrambling to collect data.
