Overview

• 3I/ATLAS is confirmed as a natural comet and poses no risk to Earth, maintaining a minimum distance beyond 1.6 au from our planet.
• SOAR Telescope spectroscopy on July 3 recorded a red continuum spectrum without detectable gas emission at 4.4 au, sharpening understanding of its composition and activity.
• Pre-discovery TESS data from May to June yielded stacked light curves showing a gradual brightness increase from Tmag 20.9 to 19.57, extending the object’s observational arc.
• Draft analyses outline a 110 kg propellant burn during Juno’s September 9, 2025 Jupiter Oberth maneuver to enable a possible March 16, 2026 flyby, though formal mission approval remains pending.
• Researchers are also evaluating alternatives such as ESA’s JUICE, existing Mars orbiters and the planned Comet Interceptor mission for potential close encounters with this fast-moving interstellar visitor.