The oldest comet we know – level 3

The oldest comet we know

17-07-2025 07:00

A mysterious object from beyond our solar system may be the oldest comet ever found. Named 3I/Atlas, it was spotted last week by astronomers.

Scientists from Oxford University believe it may be seven to eight billion years old, almost twice as old as Earth and the Sun. If true, that would make it the oldest comet ever recorded.

This is only the third time an interstellar object has been seen entering our solar system. The discovery was presented at the Royal Astronomical Society meeting in Durham. The comet likely comes from the thick disc of the Milky Way, an area with many ancient stars.

Later this year, 3I/Atlas could pass near the Sun and leave behind a glowing trail of dust visible from Earth. With new telescopes like the Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile starting powerful sky surveys, scientists hope to find many more of these rare space visitors.

Difficult words: interstellar (coming from outside our solar system), ancient (very old), glowing (giving out steady light without flame).

You can watch the video news lower on this page.

Which new telescope in Chile will conduct powerful sky surveys to help scientists find more rare visitors like 3I/Atlas?

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