The European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope has captured the clearest images so far of comet 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar visitor first spotted on July 1, 2025. Identified by its hyperbolic orbit, the comet is only the third interstellar object recorded passing through our solar system. The VLT’s deep image and timelapse confirm it is active, with a visible coma. Astronomers will lose sight of it during its October approach, but plan to resume observations in December. Researchers hope to unlock clues about its origin and how it compares to previous interstellar comets.
