Comet 3I/ATLAS, which was discovered on July 1, 2025, by the NASA-backed Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), has kept the scientists hooked and curious about its size, color, and origin. Ever since the interstellar object was discovered, scientists and astrophotographers have taken multiple photographs, claiming that there has been a change in its shape, size, and color in their findings.

According to NASA, the comet is traveling through our solar system at a staggering 130,000 miles (209,000 kilometers) per hour. It is the highest velocity ever recorded for a solar system visitor. That is fast enough to get you from New York City to Beijing in three minutes. This breathtaking sprint is evidence that the comet has been drifting through interstellar space for many billions of years, according to the American space agency. The longer 3I/ATLAS was out in space, the higher its speed grew, it said.

3I/ATLAS, which is believed to be a comet from outside the solar system, will reach its closest point to the Sun around October 30, 2025, at a distance of about 1.4 au (130 million miles, or 210 million kilometers), just inside the orbit of Mars.

Earlier in September 2025, the new photos of the interstellar visitor taken on September 7, 2025, during the "blood moon" total lunar eclipse by astrophotographers Michael Jäger and Gerald Rhemann suggested that it is likely changing color and may be turning bright green as it nears the halfway point on its journey through the solar system.

If this surprising transformation turned out to be true, it would possibly be because of the comet's increasing proximity to the sun, Science.com reported, citing experts. The new shots of the comet were snapped in the dark skies over Namibia. These images were taken when the full moon passed through the darkest part of Earth's shadow, meaning that the skies were darker than normal for that time of month.