https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Scientists at the SETI Institute recently searched for technological signals from 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar object observed in our solar system. Using the Allen Telescope Array (ATA) at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory in Northern California, the team scanned a wide range of radio frequencies for signs of extraterrestrial technology and found none, as expected based on other astronomical observations showing that the object exhibits natural comet-like composition and behavior. The paper is published in The Astronomical Journal. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-interstellar-3iatlas-reveals-technosignatures-hour.html Astrobiology Wed, 03 Jun 2026 18:30:01 EDT news699724681 The Southwest Research Institute-led Ultraviolet Spectrograph (UVS) instruments aboard ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) spacecraft and NASA's Europa Clipper made unique observations of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS in late 2025. SwRI leads the UVS instruments on both spacecraft, simultaneously imaging both hemispheres of the comet and detecting the comet's ultraviolet emissions. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-dual-spacecraft-capture-hemispheres-interstellar.html Planetary Sciences Wed, 13 May 2026 14:20:01 EDT news697900019 New observations of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS include the first measurement of the abundance of deuterated water relative to ordinary water in an interstellar object. Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) discovered that the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is made of an astonishingly high ratio of semi-heavy water relative to water, indicating that its system of origin likely formed under conditions far colder than our own. The findings are published in Nature Astronomy. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-3iatlas-semi-heavy-comets-solar.html Astronomy Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:26:02 EDT news696169452 Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is now on its way out of our solar system, never to return. The comet was only the third-ever detected object to originate from outside our solar system. Traveling at high speeds, it looped around the sun within 1.5 AU (one AU, or astronomical unit, is the distance between Earth and the sun) in October 2025; as of April, it is now past the orbit of Jupiter on its way out of the solar system. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-methane-emerges-interstellar-comet-3iatlas.html Planetary Sciences Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:40:01 EDT news695572435 The Subaru Telescope observed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS on January 7, 2026, after it made its closest approach to the sun. By observing colors in the coma around the comet, astronomers could estimate the ratio of carbon dioxide to water. This ratio is much lower than that inferred from earlier observations by space telescopes. These findings suggest that the chemistry of the coma is evolving over time and offers clues to the structure of comet 3I/ATLAS. The work appears in The Astronomical Journal. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-subaru-telescope-captures-comet-3iatlas.html Planetary Sciences Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:58:42 EDT news695444252 In a happy twist of fate, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope witnessed a comet in the act of breaking apart. The chance of that happening while Hubble watched is extraordinarily minuscule. The findings are published in the journal Icarus. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-nasa-hubble-unexpectedly-comet.html Astronomy Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:20:01 EDT news693057181 Comet 3I/ATLAS continues to make astonishing headlines, thanks to new findings from astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). This new research reveals that 3I/ATLAS is packed with an unusually large amount of the organic molecule methanol—more than almost all known comets in our own solar system. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-interstellar-comet-alcohol-alma-3iatlas.html Astronomy Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:20:03 EDT news692265150 The interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS, was first discovered in July 2025, and made its closest approach to the sun (perihelion) in late October. New observations of 3I/ATLAS were taken in December from the SPHEREx observatory—a near-infrared space observatory used for spectrophotometry. The analysis of these observations was recently discussed by a team of scientists in a paper on arXiv, and reveals some dramatic differences from the data taken before 3I/ATLAS reached perihelion. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-spherex-imaging-reveals-sublimation-3iatlas.html Planetary Sciences Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:14:16 EST news688137238 Since the interstellar object (ISO) 3I/ATLAS was first discovered on July 1, 2025, it has garnered much attention, including speculation, hopes and fears that it may somehow contain evidence of technologically advanced civilizations outside of our solar system. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-sensitive-radio-date-evidence-technosignature.html Astronomy Tue, 30 Dec 2025 11:30:01 EST news686315306 The moon and sun share top billing in 2026. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-moon-sun-figure-big-year.html Space Exploration Mon, 29 Dec 2025 07:41:49 EST news686216460 The Southwest Research Institute-led Ultraviolet Spectrograph (UVS) aboard NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft has made valuable observations of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, which in July became the third officially recognized interstellar object to cross into our solar system. UVS had a unique view of the object during a period when Mars- and Earth-based observations were impractical or impossible. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-comet-3iatlas-europa-clipper-captures.html Astronomy Thu, 18 Dec 2025 12:00:41 EST news685281601 The European Space Agency's X-ray space observatory XMM-Newton observed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS on 3 December for around 20 hours. During that time, the comet was about 282–285 million km from the spacecraft. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-xmm-newton-comet-3iatlas-ray.html Astronomy Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:11:26 EST news685023061 A stray comet from another star swings past Earth this week in one last hurrah before racing back toward interstellar space. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-interstellar-comet-distance-closest-approach.html Planetary Sciences Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:50:04 EST news685021618 Gemini North captured new images of Comet 3I/ATLAS after it reemerged from behind the sun on its path out of the solar system. The data were collected during a Shadow the Scientists session—a unique outreach initiative that invites students around the world to join researchers as they observe the universe on the world's most advanced telescopes. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-gemini-north-images-reveal-greenish.html Planetary Sciences Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:13:40 EST news684771143 Analysis of the second confirmed interstellar comet to visit our solar system suggests that the alien body could be covered in erupting icy, volcano-like structures called cryovolcanoes. Researchers also discovered that the comet has a metal-rich interior, which could challenge our understanding of how comets formed in our own planetary system. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-interstellar-icy-volcanoes-rewrite-comets.html Space Exploration Wed, 03 Dec 2025 09:50:01 EST news683977271 A flying piece of cosmic rock or an alien threat? Comet 3I/ATLAS is hurtling through our solar system and captivating scientists and internet users alike, even prompting Kim Kardashian to ask NASA for answers. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-comet-scientific-fascination-online-furor.html Space Exploration Thu, 20 Nov 2025 11:32:30 EST news682860745 NASA unveiled close-up pictures on Wednesday of the interstellar comet that's making a quick one-and-done tour of the solar system. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-nasa-images-rare-interstellar-comet.html Space Exploration Wed, 19 Nov 2025 15:51:25 EST news682789881 An interstellar comet that originated outside our solar system has just made its closest pass to the sun, brightening dramatically and rapidly as it did so. The reason for the sudden extreme activity is currently puzzling scientists. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-rapid-brightening-interstellar-comet-3iatlas.html Planetary Sciences Fri, 31 Oct 2025 11:20:01 EDT news681126463 For millions of years, a fragment of ice and dust drifted between the stars—like a sealed bottle cast into the cosmic ocean. This summer, that bottle finally washed ashore in our solar system and was designated 3I/ATLAS, only the third known interstellar comet. When Auburn University scientists pointed NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory toward it, they made a remarkable find: the first detection of hydroxyl (OH) gas from this object, a chemical fingerprint of water. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-physicists-ultraviolet-fingerprint-interstellar-comet.html Astrobiology Tue, 07 Oct 2025 12:28:04 EDT news679058881 A comet from another star system will swing by Mars on Friday as a fleet of spacecraft trains its sights on the interstellar visitor. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-interstellar-comet-mars-fleet-spacecraft.html Space Exploration Thu, 02 Oct 2025 10:24:14 EDT news678619450 In our nearby stellar neighborhood, a burned-out star is snacking on a fragment of a Pluto-like object. With its unique ultraviolet capability, only NASA's Hubble Space Telescope could identify that this meal is taking place. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-hubble-white-dwarf-piece-pluto.html Astronomy Thu, 18 Sep 2025 12:06:03 EDT news677415961 The earliest images of 3I/ATLAS, newly uncovered by Michigan State University, reveal how the interstellar object evolved as it traveled through our solar system—and how other distant solar systems might be different from our own. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-3iatlas-solar.html Astronomy Thu, 11 Sep 2025 12:00:01 EDT news676810440 Interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS that have been captured in planet-forming disks around young stars could become the seeds of giant planets, bypassing a hurdle that theoretical models have previously been unable to explain. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-interstellar-similar-3iatlas-jumpstart-planet.html Astronomy Thu, 11 Sep 2025 08:12:05 EDT news676797116 Astronomers and students working together through a unique educational initiative have obtained a striking new image of the growing tail of interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS. The observations reveal a prominent tail and glowing coma from this rare celestial visitor, while also providing new scientific measurements of its colors and composition. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-astronomers-students-capture-tail-interstellar.html Astronomy Fri, 05 Sep 2025 04:09:41 EDT news676264174 The Hubble Space Telescope has captured the best picture yet of a high-speed comet visiting our solar system from another star. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-hubble-space-telescope-picture-comet.html Astronomy Thu, 07 Aug 2025 12:56:46 EDT news673790203 A team of astronomers has taken the sharpest-ever picture of the unexpected interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS using the crisp vision of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble is one of many missions across NASA's fleet of space telescopes slated to observe this comet, together providing more information about its size and physical properties. While the comet poses no threat to Earth, NASA's space telescopes help support the agency's ongoing mission to find, track, and better understand near-Earth objects. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-nasa-missions-interstellar-comet-hubble.html Astronomy Thu, 07 Aug 2025 11:55:04 EDT news673786502 On July 1, astronomers spotted an unusual high-speed object zooming towards the sun. Dubbed 3I/ATLAS, the surprising space traveler had one very special quality: its orbit showed it had come from outside our solar system. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-latest-interstellar-comet-alien-probe.html Astronomy Wed, 23 Jul 2025 08:47:22 EDT news672479211 Interstellar objects are visitors from solar systems beyond our own, and the third ever such object, known as 3I/ATLAS, has just been discovered. Using the Gemini North telescope, astronomers have captured 3I/ATLAS as it makes its temporary passage through our cosmic neighborhood. These observations will help scientists study the characteristics of this rare object's origin, orbit, and composition. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-gemini-north-comet-3iatlas-interstellar.html Planetary Sciences Wed, 16 Jul 2025 10:30:13 EDT news671879662 A team of international astronomers, including a University of Michigan doctoral student, were the first to publish the discovery of just the third known interstellar object to visit our solar system on July 3. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-3iatlas-solar-interstellar-visitor.html Astronomy Tue, 15 Jul 2025 12:19:57 EDT news671800788 Well, it's July 12, which means (a) the Steam Summer Sale is over and (b) it's really hot outside in the northeastern U.S. This week, researchers discovered a cool new fish and named it after Darth Vader. An analysis of the DART mission suggests that while it proved that an impactor could alter the trajectory of an asteroid, it ejected boulders in unpredictable directions that could complicate other impactor missions. And archaeologists uncovered a rock art panel that could depict an elite individual from the First Dynasty. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-saturday-citations-theory-interstellar-comet.html Other Sat, 12 Jul 2025 09:00:01 EDT news671456575