Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS to Make Closest Approach to Earth on December 19

Comet 3I/ATLAS is an interstellar comet that will pass by Earth next Friday, Dec. 19, in a rare appearance for scientists observing from the planet. Traveling at a blistering speed, the comet will safely fly past at about 1.8 astronomical units, or approximately 168 million miles away. While nowhere near Earth itself, this event gives scientists a front-row seat as they try to observe material that was created around another star, the closest thing yet to being there from a research perspective, even if there's no danger to the planet.

ESA Confirms 3I/ATLAS as Rare Interstellar Comet Passing Safely Through the Solar System

According to a report by the European Space Agency, the comet was detected on July 1 by NASA-funded ATLAS telescopes. Scientists from the ESA confirmed that its trajectory indicates a clear interstellar origin, which implies that it entered our solar system from elsewhere in space and will eventually depart again. During its flyby, the object will stay far outside the orbit of Mars, so Earth and other planetary bodies are in no danger at all, the agency added.

3I/ATLAS, which represents just the third confirmed interstellar interloper, after 1I/‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov, has ejected gas and dust that could provide fresh clues about planetary material formation around faraway stars.

Global Observatories Track 3I/ATLAS as Scientists and Skywatchers Follow Its Brief Passage

Observatories, including the Hubble and JUICE instruments in one case, followed the fast-moving comet, collecting data to better estimate its size, speed, and composition before it leaves the inner solar system.

Skywatchers can watch online with a free Virtual Telescope Project livestream that's scheduled to begin late on Dec. 18, weather permitting, while scientists focus on the enduring scientific value of seeing a comet that will be difficult to observe.