← Latest news 
11 billion year old interstellar comet traced to a lonely frozen corner of Milky Way
Science
Published on 24 April 2026
Its origin may predate our solar system by billions
Astronomers say Comet 3I/Atlas is an interstellar visitor likely among the oldest ever confirmed, possibly dating back about 11 billion years. Traced to a cold, isolated part of the Milky Way that hadn’t yet formed a solar system, it arrived harmlessly after being discovered last summer. Multiple telescopes tracked it as it passed Mars and approached Earth in late 2024.
- Comet 3I Atlas is only the third confirmed interstellar visitor
- Scientists estimate it could be around 11 billion years old
- Its likely birthplace was a cold, isolated region before solar systems formed
- NASA and ESA observed it after a last-summer discovery
Read the full story at Republic
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
Republic