Capitol News

When news emerged on July 1, 2025, about a new interstellar object, Michigan State University (MSU) astronomers, along with international researchers, quickly began gathering data. The object, named 3I/ATLAS after NASA's Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), is the third known interstellar visitor to our solar system.

Darryl Seligman from MSU led the effort to document initial findings in a scientific paper. "I heard something about the object before I went to bed," Seligman said. "By the time I woke up around 1 a.m., my colleagues... were emailing me that this was likely for real."

Larry Denneau of ATLAS noted cautious excitement upon reviewing observations from the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope. John Tonry of ATLAS expressed gratification at discovering an interstellar comet through their survey efforts.

Seligman and Karen Meech of the University of Hawaii coordinated efforts to gather early data for further studies. Meech stated, "Once 3I/ATLAS was identified as likely interstellar, we mobilized rapidly."

Current knowledge about 3I/ATLAS includes its high speed of 60 kilometers per second and its bright appearance. It follows an orbital path suggesting it will leave our solar system permanently.

James Wray from Georgia Tech highlighted challenges due to the object's distance but noted ongoing efforts using telescopes like James Webb and Hubble for more insights.

Seligman's team is focused on understanding the brightness changes and potential gas emissions as it nears the sun. The discovery has sparked interest among students like Tessa Frincke and Atsuhiro Yaginuma at MSU in pursuing related research opportunities.

Seligman emphasized the importance of federal funding for continued research and experimentation: "We can’t continue to do this research... without federal funding." He also remarked on astronomy's reliance on public curiosity rather than commercial interests for support.

The paper involved contributors from institutions worldwide, including NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, University of Hawaii, European Space Agency Near-Earth Objects Coordination Centre in Italy, among others.