Though 3I/ATLAS will never come close to Earth, its passage offers a rare chance to study material beyond our solar system with ground-based and orbital telescopes, before it accelerates back into deep space . For the latest and best from Chron, sign up for our daily newsletter here.

NASA telescopes in Chile have discovered a comet from interstellar space, making its closest approach in October.

Officially named 3I/ATLAS, the comet was confirmed as having originated outside of Earth's solar system on July 3, according to the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. It is believed to be about 20 kilometers, or over 12 miles wide, according to the ESA and traveling at about 60 kilometers, or 37 miles per second relative to the sun.