The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and NASA's SPHEREx infrared space telescope have been observing the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, which was discovered in July 2025 by the ATLAS survey telescope. Astronomers describe 3I/ATLAS as one of the most unusual comets ever seen due to its strange characteristics. SPHEREx observations earlier in August provided data on the comet's size, physical properties, and chemical composition. The comet is estimated to be as large as Manhattan Island. The scientific community is closely monitoring 3I/ATLAS as it continues to exhibit unusual behavior, drawing comparisons to other bright comets such as 2020 F3 NEOWISE. Meanwhile, other space-related research continues, including new findings from Apollo 17 lunar samples regarding ancient landslides.
3I/Atlas is a comet discovered in July 2025 by the ATLAS survey telescope, and it is estimated to be as big as Manhattan Island. #Space #InterstellarObject #3IAtlas https://t.co/teWUYGP9Qq
This Visiting Interstellar Comet Just Keeps Getting Weirder https://t.co/Dn6TOMUDkd
Apollo 17 samples reveal new clues to ancient lunar landslide mystery https://t.co/KifbmB14KS