July 3 (UPI) -- NASA discovered the third interstellar comet through a survey telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile. The interstellar comet first observed on Tuesday by NASA's Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Alert System telescope, or ATLAS, has been officially named 3I/ATLAS.

Astronomers are tracking a newly spotted comet hailing from parts unknown, only the third time such an interstellar object has been observed visiting our solar system.

Our solar system is playing host to a rare visitor. A comet from interstellar space is hurtling toward the sun at about 68 kilometres per second, or about 245,000 kilometres an hour. And like many a socially savvy out-of-town visitor,