Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS to Make Closest Approach to earth on December 19, 2025
The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, only the third object confirmed to originate from outside our solar system, will reach it’s closest point to Earth on Friday, December 19, 2025.According to data from The Sky Live, the comet will be approximately 268,898,938 kilometers (1.797478 Astronomical Units) from our planet on that date – the closest approach within the period of 2000-2099.
Currently, as of November 10, 2025, 3I/ATLAS is 324,325,508 kilometers (2.1679821149 Astronomical Units) from Earth.
Discovered on July 1,2025,by the Asteroid terrestrial Impact Latest Alert System (ATLAS) survey telescope in Río Hurtado,Chile,3I/ATLAS has been identified as interstellar due to its hyperbolic orbital path,indicating it does not orbit the Sun in a closed path. Tracing its trajectory backwards confirms its origin lies beyond our solar system.
The comet recently exhibited a non-gravitational acceleration after its closest approach to the Sun on October 30, 2025, when it passed within 210 million kilometers of the Sun – just inside the orbit of Mars. This acceleration is likely due to the sublimation of ices on the comet’s surface as it was heated by solar radiation. this process creates jets of gas that act as a propellant,altering the comet’s orbit,a phenomenon well-understood by astronomers.
NASA has confirmed that 3I/ATLAS poses no threat to Earth and will maintain a safe distance during its passage.
