The mysterious interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is approaching Earth , captivating astronomers and the public alike. Discovered in July 2025, 3I/ATLAS is the third object identified as originating from outside our solar system. It is expected to make its closest approach to Earth on December 19, coming within approximately 167 million miles, or about 1.5 times the distance from Earth to the Sun.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has been observing 3I/ATLAS since its discovery, capturing detailed images of the comet. These observations have confirmed that the object is traveling on a hyperbolic orbit, which will eventually take it out of the solar system. The European Space Agency's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) also observed the comet in November, capturing images of its active state, in

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