As excitement builds across the astronomy community, experts say the mysterious interstellar comet 31/ATLAS will pass Closest to Earth in December. This is a rare opportunity for scientists and skywatchers alike.
A Rare Interstellar Visitor will be closest to Earth in December
December is the month that fans of the 3I/ATLAS interstellar comet have been waiting for. In a matter of days, the strange space object — only the third confirmed interstellar visitor in history — is expected to pass closest to Earth in December 2025, offering its best visibility window for the next several million years.
Though not bright enough to see with the naked eye, NASA says 3I/ATLAS can be viewed with a small telescope through spring 2026. The agency’s real-time simulator, Eyes on the Solar System, tracks the comet’s exact position and trajectory:
“This is an extraordinary chance to observe an object formed around another star,” one NASA researcher noted. “These encounters are exceedingly rare in human history.”
Details from NASA about 31/ATLAS
The interstellar comet known as 3I/ATLAS made global headlines in July when astronomers confirmed that it originated outside our solar system. When first detected, it was racing through the void at an incredible 137,000 mph, according to NASA:
