Latest Comet 3I/ATLAS news: Closest approach to Earth this week

Comet 3I/ATLAS has last hurrah this week

Good morning, Space Fans! As of today, we are T-2 days until the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS makes its closest approach to Earth and then we’ll have to say our goodbyes.

Whether or not you’re in Team Comet or Team “Could It Be A Spaceship?” 3I/ATLAS has dominated the comet conversation since its discovery on July 1 by the ATLAS telescope in Chile. On Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, the comet will be at its closest to Earth at a range of roughly 168 million miles (270 million kilometers) before heading out of our solar system for good.

Over the next two days, we’ll chronicle comet 3I/ATLAS’s Earth flyby, and revisit its passage through our solar system — and its legacy.

Read our full preview of the comet’s Earth flyby.

Tariq Malik