Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

3I/ATLAS

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for July 17, 2025 is “3I/ATLAS,” an image. It is credited to Image Credit: Gemini Observatory/ NOIRLab /NSF/AURA/K. Meech (IfA/U. Hawaii) Processing: Jen Miller, Mahdi Zamani (NSF/NOIRLab). The original explanation runs about 208 words.

3I/ATLAS
Credit: Image Credit: Gemini Observatory/ NOIRLab /NSF/AURA/K. Meech (IfA/U. Hawaii) Processing: Jen Miller, Mahdi Zamani (NSF/NOIRLab) Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Discovered on July 1 with the NASA-funded ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) survey telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile, 3I/ATLAS is so designated as the third known interstellar object to pass through our Solar System. It follows 1I/ʻOumuamua in 2017 and the comet 2I/Borisov in 2019.”

— APOD editors, July 17, 2025

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
July 17, 2025
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit: Gemini Observatory/ NOIRLab /NSF/AURA/K. Meech (IfA/U. Hawaii) Processing: Jen Miller, Mahdi Zamani (NSF/NOIRLab)
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 208 words

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Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.