On the first of July 2025, the NASA funded ATLAS survey discovered an object entering the inner Solar System. It was found to be a comet from interstellar space and only the third extra-solar object to ever be discovered. Comet 3I/Atlas seems to have a very interesting composition and may be billions of years older than the Earth. It will pass near Mars and have its closest approach to the Sun this October. Its presence in our Solar System means that astronomers have a front row seat to study an object that originated somewhere else in our Milky Way galaxy.

In my talk, I will discuss the discovery, the projected path, and how observatories and space missions from around the world will work together to observe 3I/Atlas. I will also compare this comet to the first two interstellar objects, discuss what we currently know about its composition and place of origin and preview the future potential for finding more interstellar treasures in Earth’s backyard.