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Scientists emphasized that comets typically develop a tail of gas and dust as they approach the Sun, caused by the Sun’s heat turning solid ice into vapor and releasing material from their surfaces, which reflects more light.

According to observations made by NASA’s Solar–Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), the European Space Agency’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s GOES-19 weather satellite, the rapid brightening of 3I/ATLAS caught astronomers off guard.

Naval Research Laboratory astrophysicist Karl Battams and Lowell Observatory postdoctoral researcher Qicheng Zhang wrote: “The cause of 3I’s rapid increase in brightness—far exceeding that of most Oort Cloud comets at comparable distances—remains unclear.”

However, the two scientists proposed several theories for why 3I/ATLAS is brightening so quickly: “One possibility is its tremendous velocity. The object is moving at around 137,000 miles per hour, significantly faster than the two previously discovered interstellar objects.”

Zhang and Battams added, “Anomalies in core properties such as composition, shape, or structure—whether inherited from its parent system or acquired during its long interstellar journey—may also contribute to the rapid brightening.”

Astronomers also noted that 3I/ATLAS is “noticeably bluer than the Sun,” which is “consistent with gas emissions contributing significantly to its visible brightness near perihelion.”

The researchers stated: “Without a physical explanation, 3I’s post-perihelion behavior remains uncertain—its brightness may plateau or fade rapidly after perihelion.”

Zhang and Battams concluded that since 3I/ATLAS remains hidden behind the Sun, astronomers must be patient: “After its perihelion on October 29, 2025, 3I will return to twilight and then dark night skies in November–December 2025, allowing for a far more detailed study of the comet than is currently possible.”