Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Nears Closest Earth Flyby on Dec. 19: New X‑ray Views, UN Tracking, and What Scientists Know Now
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth on December 19, 2025, passing about 270 million kilometers away. The comet poses no threat, but global observatories are tracking it, aided by the International Asteroid Warning Network. New X-ray observations are revealing rare gases in the comet’s makeup. 3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed interstellar object seen in our solar system.