Astronomers have confirmed the arrival of the third interstellar object detected passing through the Solar System, officially designated 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1). First observed on July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS survey telescope in Chile, this water-rich comet is estimated to be between 3 and 14 billion years old, potentially predating the Solar System. Recent observations from the Hubble Space Telescope have provided the sharpest images to date of 3I/ATLAS, revealing characteristics similar to comets originating from the outer Solar System, though it may be smaller than initially thought. Meanwhile, NASA's Juno spacecraft has captured enhanced color images of Jupiter’s south pole, showing storms larger than Earth. The James Webb Space Telescope’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) has delivered detailed views of Jupiter’s auroras, rings, and moons Amalthea and Adrastea using specialized infrared filters. Additionally, close-up images of Saturn reveal intricate atmospheric swirls and vortexes, with ultraviolet images captured by Hubble further highlighting the planet’s features. Sharp images of the "Tiger Stripe" fissures on Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus have also been released, contributing to the growing body of detailed planetary observations.
A Third Interstellar Visitor Has Entered Our Solar System! Officially designated 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1), this incredible object marks the third confirmed interstellar object ever detected in our Solar System. First spotted on July 1, 2025, by the ATLAS survey telescope in Chile, https://t.co/GUNXqCN7hc
Breathtaking close-up of Saturn! Marvel at the mesmerizing swirls and vortexes in the atmosphere... (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI/CICLOPS/Kevin M. Gill) https://t.co/dkhT9FUxyE
Those swirls? They’re storms on Jupiter – and some are larger than Earth! This enhanced color view of Jupiter’s south pole was created by a citizen scientist using raw data from the Juno spacecraft's JunoCam. https://t.co/axGBJKWoeA