3I/ATLAS
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A mysterious video has ignited social media, with clips claiming to show 'recent leaked footage' of the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS. The object, seen in a grainy telescope view, appears elongated and structured, looking far more like an artificial spacecraft than a typical comet.

This viral footage, with some posts attributing it to a 'Japanese Space Agency', has baffled observers and fuelled speculation. But what is the truth behind this bizarre object currently hidden from our view?

What We Know About the Interstellar Visitor

The object at the centre of the buzz is Comet 3I/ATLAS. It was first officially spotted on 1 July 2025 by an Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Río Hurtado, Chile. The '3I' in its name designates it as only the third interstellar object ever discovered, a visitor from outside our Solar System.

Since its discovery, our planet has been moving away from 3I/ATLAS as it makes its own journey towards the Sun. The comet is now on the other side of the Sun, making it completely impossible to observe from Earth.

This lack of visibility has only added to the mystery, allowing speculation about its true nature to flourish online. While the viral videos are unverified, scientists are turning to a more reliable source for answers.

Why Mars Has a Front-Row Seat to the Mystery Comet

The European Space Agency is seizing a rare opportunity to study the comet from unique vantage points. ESA is directing its interplanetary missions to observe 3I/ATLAS while it remains hidden from Earth-bound telescopes.

Between 1 and 7 October, two of the agency's Mars orbiters, Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, will observe the comet. These spacecraft will get a clear view as it passes relatively close to the Red Planet.

The closest distance between the Mars spacecraft and the comet will be 30 million km on 3 October. This observation provides a crucial look at the object from a perspective Earth will not have.

How the Juice Mission Will Get the Best View Yet

An even better viewing opportunity will come between 2 and 25 November. ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) will turn its own 'various instruments' towards the interstellar visitor.

This timing is critical. Juice will be looking towards 3I/ATLAS so soon after the comet's closest approach to the Sun.

Scientists expect Juice to have the best view of the comet in a 'very active state'. This activity, stirred up by the Sun's intense heat, will likely produce a 'bright halo around its nucleus' and a 'long tail stretching out behind it'.

This data will be the most revealing, providing scientific truth to counter the viral 'spacecraft' theories. The observations will help determine the comet's composition and behaviour, finally exposing the reality of 3I/ATLAS.

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