Overview
- The third confirmed interstellar visitor was first reported by the ATLAS survey on July 1, 2025, with its hyperbolic path confirming an origin beyond the solar system.
- Perihelion occurred on October 29–30 at roughly 1.36–1.4 AU from the Sun, and the comet will be closest to Earth on December 19 at about 1.8 AU, remaining too faint for naked-eye viewing.
- Observations show clear cometary activity with an icy nucleus, coma, tail, and jets, and spectra report CO2-dominated outgassing plus a reported nickel signal still under evaluation.
- NASA and most planetary scientists say the object behaves like a natural comet and poses no threat to Earth, despite public speculation about artificial origin that lacks evidence.
- Coordinated follow-ups are queued as viewing geometry improves, with ESA’s JUICE, JWST, Mars orbiters, and other assets preparing targeted measurements and data releases after conjunction.