Europe Asia News

According to the European Space Agency (ESA), 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar object ever recorded, will come as close as 269 million kilometers to Earth — nearly twice the average distance between the Earth and the Sun.

Scientists say that 3I/ATLAS poses no danger to Earth or other planets as it passes through the inner Solar System.

The comet’s unusual characteristics and orbit, first observed on July 1 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Río Hurtado, Chile, sparked widespread excitement online and led to a range of theories, including claims that it was sent by aliens.

Interstellar comets are extremely rare and are described as truly external elements of our galaxy, carrying clues about how worlds far beyond the Solar System were formed.

The first images of an interstellar comet observed in X-ray light revealed a widespread X-ray glow around the comet’s nucleus, shedding light on a long-standing mystery about whether interstellar comets shine in X-rays like those in the Solar System.

For skywatchers, the orbit of 3I/ATLAS means it will not come close enough to Earth to be visible to the naked eye.

According to an ESA statement, at its closest approach 3I/ATLAS can be observed in the pre-dawn sky even with a small telescope. NASA says it will remain observable until the spring of 2026 and will appear like a slightly brighter star.

The statement said: “The exact position of 3I/ATLAS can be seen in real time on ESA’s interactive map. The approach of 3I/ATLAS can also be followed via a free live stream provided by the Virtual Telescope Project. Weather permitting, the live broadcast will begin on December 19 at 05:00 CET (07:00 Turkish time).”