Rare Sight: Interstellar Comet Passes Mars Under Watch of Multiple Spacecraft

An interstellar comet is visiting. Named 3I/ATLAS, it did not start from our solar system. Instead, it came from the far reaches of space. On October 3, 2025, it will pass near Mars at about 18 million miles (29 million kilometers). This is rare. Only two interstellar objects have been confirmed before. They were ‘Oumuamua (in 2017) and 2I/Borisov (in 2019). We are in a unique moment. Spacecraft around Mars are ready to watch. This gives us a chance to learn about materials from beyond our solar system.