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Vera C. Rubin Observatory Discovers Ancient Comet 3I/ATLAS

7/28/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile made an exciting early observation of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS on June 21, predating its official discovery. This ancient wanderer, possibly 2 billion years older than our solar system, zips through space at an astonishing 37 miles per second. High-precision images from Rubin are capturing vital data before it disappears from sight on August 22.

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Story summary

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile made an exciting early observation of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS on June 21, predating its official discovery. This ancient wanderer, possibly 2 billion years older than our solar system, zips through space at an astonishing 37 miles per second. High-precision images from Rubin are capturing vital data before it disappears from sight on August 22.