Comet 3I/ATLAS Today: Latest News, Science Updates, and How to See the Rare Interstellar Comet Before Its Dec. 19, 2025 Flyby
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth on Dec. 19, passing at a distance of 1.8 astronomical units—about 170 million miles—according to NASA. Astronomers are racing to observe the rare visitor, only the third confirmed interstellar object, before it leaves the solar system. New analysis attributes its path deviations to normal comet outgassing, not artificial propulsion.