CE2XZW2 Reidentified as Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS, No Earth Impact Risk

Overview

• The Center for Minor Planets matched the object first posted as asteroid CE2XZW2 to 3I/ATLAS and reported it is moving away from Earth.
• The entry for CE2XZW2 was shifted to an unconfirmed category after additional checks overturned the preliminary asteroid classification.
• An IAA RAS researcher had cited a nominal path about 3,000 kilometers from Earth's center based on sparse data, saying a collision was possible.
• Astronomers note that confirmation typically requires observations across two nights, and early orbits based on limited data can change substantially.
• The object had been estimated at roughly 20 meters across, a size that would normally break up in the atmosphere, and officials now report no immediate hazard.