Overview
- Global observations led by the International Asteroid Warning Network run from November 27 to January 27 to refine comet tracking and coordination.
- NASA and UN officials state 3I/ATLAS behaves as a comet and poses no danger, with closest Earth approach on December 19 at roughly 270 million kilometres.
- ESA confirms JUICE observed 3I/ATLAS from November 2–25, but mission constraints mean those data are not expected on Earth until February 2026.
- Amateur and professional images show an active coma and unusual tail morphology, including a reported narrow sunward ‘anti-tail’, prompting scientific scrutiny.
- Some researchers, notably Avi Loeb, argue for alternative explanations and point to a speculative March 2026 Jupiter Hill‑radius coincidence, a claim disputed by mainstream agencies.