Overview
- The object reached its closest point to the Sun on October 29 at roughly 1.36–1.4 AU (about 203–210 million km), inside Mars’s orbit.
- Because it is aligned with the Sun from Earth’s perspective, observations are being led by space assets including Hubble, Webb, TESS and several Mars orbiters.
- NASA and the International Asteroid Warning Network are coordinating a special monitoring effort, including a scheduled exercise from November 27 to January 27, and officials stress there is no impact risk.
- Measured speeds near perihelion are about 221,000 km/h (approximately 61 km/s), while diameter estimates remain broad, from a few hundred meters to several kilometers.
- The closest approach to Earth is expected in mid‑December at roughly 1.6–1.8 AU (about 240–270 million km), keeping the interstellar object at a safe distance.