Comet 3I/ATLAS will approach within 168 million miles (270 million kilometers) of Earth when it makes its close flyby on Dec. 19. Good morning space fans! Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS made its closest approach to Earth moments ago,

Scientists have been cataloging comet 3I/ATLAS’s journey through the Solar System since July, tracking major milestones as the rare interstellar visitor moves closer to Earth.

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will fly by our planet at a safe distance of 1.8 astronomical units (roughly 167 million miles or 270 million kilometers) at 1 a.m. ET on Friday, December 19, according to calculations by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Comet 3I/ATLAS, a rare interstellar visitor, is visible this week as it departs the solar system, with some public events showing the flyby.

Scientists atop Mauna Kea on the Island of Hawaiʻi and across the Hawaiian chain are turning their telescopes skyward Friday night as a fast-moving object known as Comet 3I/ATLAS that has come from another solar system is expected to make its closest approach to Earth,

The object was first officially spotted on July 1, 2025, by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope based in Rio Hurtado, Chile.

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS makes its closest Earth pass early on Dec. 19. Here's what astronomers know about its origin and speed.

While the comet will keep a safe distance from Earth, the flyby still holds significance for researchers. By observing 3I/ATLAS near its closest approach, astronomers will have an