New Delhi: On 30 October, the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, which has piqued the interest of the global science community, will reach its closest point to the Sun, at a distance of about 1.4 astronomical units (au) or about 210 million kilometres.

“The closest it will approach our planet is about 1.8 astronomical units, about 170 million miles, or 270 million kilometres,” said the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) latest update about the comet’s movement.

It added that when the comet reaches its closest point to the Sun around 30 October, it will be just inside the orbit of Mars. “3I/ATLAS should remain visible to ground-based telescopes through September, after which it will pass too close to the Sun to observe. It will reappear on the other side of the Sun by early

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