3I/ATLAS Will Pass Closest to Earth in December: What to Know About the Interstellar Visitor

With Oumuamua (2017) and Comet 2I/Borisov (2019) as the only previous examples, 3I/ATLAS represents an invaluable scientific opportunity.

“Every interstellar visitor brings clues about the formation of other worlds,” an ESA scientist said. “It’s like receiving a message in a bottle from another solar system.”