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.<\/p>\n
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?<\/p>\n
What We Know About the Interstellar Visitor<\/p>\n
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 R\u00edo Hurtado, Chile. The ‘3I’ in its name designates it as only the third interstellar object ever discovered, a visitor from outside our Solar System.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Why Mars Has a Front-Row Seat to the Mystery Comet<\/p>\n
The European Space Agency<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Video going viral on social media claiming that this is a recent leaked footage from a Japanese Space Agency of the Interstellar object 3I\/ATLAS\ud83e\uddd0\ud83e\udd14\u2604\ufe0f\u2604\ufe0f\u2604\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/qnC4DeZbYt<\/a><\/p>\n