The interstellar comet 31/ATLAS has officially reached its closest approach to Earth, marking a fleeting milestone in humanity’s study of visitors from interstellar space.
Early this morning, the icy object passed within approximately 168 million miles (270 million kilometers) of our planet, giving astronomers a rare opportunity to observe material that originated around another star system before it begins its long departure from the solar system.
31/ATLAS Rare Visitor from Beyond Our Solar System
Discovered in July, interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS—often referred to simply as 31/ATLAS—is only the third confirmed object known to have entered our solar system from interstellar space. Since its discovery, scientists around the world have closely tracked its motion, brightness, and composition as it traveled inward toward the sun and reached its closest approach to Earth.
After this pass, 31/ATLAS will continue outward through the solar system. Astronomers expect it to pass near Jupiter in early 2026, cross the orbits of Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune by 2028, and then exit the solar system entirely—never to return.
