It’s official, NASA has confirmed the real shape of 3I/ATLAS, and the discovery has shocked astronomers around the world. The mysterious interstellar visitor, once thought to be just another comet, has revealed an entirely different and unexpected structure in the latest high-resolution image captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.
According to NASA scientists, 3I/ATLAS appears to have an elongated, almost ship-like form surrounded by a glowing cocoon of dust. The new data confirms that this object is not just active but also unlike any comet ever observed. When Hubble captured it in July 2025, 3I/ATLAS was more than 277 million miles from Earth, yet its activity was so strong that it resembled a living engine in deep space.
The object’s tail now stretches far beyond early estimates, streaming with volatile materials reacting to sunlight. Astronomers say the comet’s core could measure between 320 metres and 5.6 kilometres, making it a truly massive interstellar traveller. The discovery marks 3I/ATLAS as only the third confirmed interstellar object to pass through our Solar System, following the mysterious ‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov.
What’s even more fascinating is the speculation surrounding its shape. Some researchers describe it as “unusually symmetrical,” while others suggest the structure could have been reshaped by intense solar radiation, or possibly something even stranger. As theories flood online, people are calling it “the real alien mothership of 2025.”
NASA continues to study 3I/ATLAS closely, hoping to uncover its origin and chemical secrets before it disappears into the cosmic dark once again. Whatever it truly is, one thing is clear, 3I/ATLAS has rewritten what we thought we knew about interstellar visitors.
