NASA confirms 3I/ATLAS is a natural comet after weeks of speculation and online theories

​For the past few weeks, many people online have been talking about 3I/ATLAS, the fast-moving object seen in our solar system. Some were excited, some were confused, and a few even wondered if it might be something artificial.

But now NASA has given a clear answer after studying it closely with more than 20 telescopes and spacecraft.

NASA has confirmed that 3I/ATLAS is a natural comet, not alien technology and not anything man-made. It is simply a rare visitor from another star system.

A natural comet, not an artificial object

3I/ATLAS was first spotted on July 1, 2025, by NASA’s ATLAS telescope in Chile. It quickly drew attention because it was moving very fast and coming from deep space.

This makes it only the third confirmed interstellar object ever seen passing through our Solar System.

In a recent briefing, NASA officials explained that everything about the way the object moves and behaves matches a normal comet.

Amit Kshatriya from NASA said,

“This object is a comet … it looks and behaves like a comet.”

Nicky Fox, another NASA scientist, added that there are no signs of technology, no signals, and nothing that would suggest it was made by intelligent life.

She also reassured people that the comet is not dangerous.

Even during its closest approach, it will still be extremely far away from Earth — about 1.8 AU, which is almost twice the distance between Earth and the Sun.

A rare chance to study material from another star system

Even though it is natural, 3I/ATLAS is still something very special: scientists believe it formed around a completely different star far beyond our Solar System, which makes it an exciting object to study. 

By using powerful telescopes such as Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists discovered that the comet emits unusual gases.

They have found high levels of carbon dioxide and nickel vapour, not commonly seen from comets that originate from our own Solar System.

These rare chemicals give scientists an idea of what other star systems might be composed of.

NASA scientist Tom Statler commented that knowing this comet may contain material from before our Sun was even born “gives me goosebumps.”

​Rumors settle as the science becomes clear

With NASA’s final confirmation, the online theories can finally calm down. There is no sign that 3I/ATLAS is a spaceship or an artificial device. It is simply a natural comet from another part of the galaxy.