The oldest comet we know – level 2

The oldest comet we know

17-07-2025 07:00

Astronomers saw a strange object in space last week. They say it may be the oldest comet ever found. It is called 3I/Atlas and might be almost eight billion years old. That is much older than Earth or the Sun.

This comet came from outside our solar system. It is only the third time scientists have seen something from far away like this. A team from Oxford University shared this news at a science meeting in Durham.

They believe the comet came from a part of the Milky Way called the thick disc, which has very old stars. Later this year, 3I/Atlas could pass near the Sun and leave a bright dust trail we can see from Earth.

Difficult words: comet (a space object made of dust and ice), solar system (a Sun with its planets), trail (a line left behind).

You can watch the original video in the Level 3 section.

What visible feature might 3I/Atlas leave as it passes near the Sun later this year?

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