Overview
- The interstellar object reached perihelion on October 29 at roughly 1.4 AU from the Sun, marking the peak of activity for spectroscopy and imaging.
- Space observatories including Hubble, the James Webb Space Telescope and TESS, along with several planetary spacecraft, are collecting data while the object remains behind the Sun from Earth’s view.
- Ground-based visibility is expected to resume in early December, with the closest Earth approach projected for December 19 at about 270 million kilometers.
- The International Asteroid Warning Network has scheduled a focused observation exercise from November 27 to January 27 to refine astrometry and probe composition.
- Reports of unusual features such as an early anti-tail and atypical CO2 and nickel signatures remain under study, and NASA and ESA say there is no evidence of an artificial origin or any impact risk.