NASA Confirms Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Poses No Threat to Earth

New Delhi — NASA has confirmed that the rare interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, currently speeding through the solar system at a staggering 61 kilometers per second, poses no danger to Earth.

The comet is the third known interstellar object discovered so far, after ‘Oumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019). The designation “I” in its name stands for “interstellar,” indicating its origin beyond our solar system, while the number “3” signifies its sequence of discovery.

3I/ATLAS was first detected on July 1, 2025, by NASA’s ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) survey telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile, and subsequently observed by the Minor Planet Center.

At the time of discovery, it was traveling at an incredible 137,000 miles per hour (221,000 km/h). NASA said its speed will further increase as it nears the Sun. The comet is expected to make its closest approach to the Sun on October 30, coming within 210 million kilometers, just inside Mars’ orbit.

Despite its rapid pace, scientists confirm it will remain safely distant from Earth. “The closest it will approach our planet is about 1.8 astronomical units (270 million km),” NASA stated, assuring that there is no risk of collision.

The comet’s path will take it behind the Sun in late October, and it is projected to pass near Jupiter by March 2026, before continuing its journey out of the solar system. NASA is tracking the object using multiple observatories, including the Hubble Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, and the upcoming SPHEREx mission.

With inputs from IANS