The newly confirmed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has captured global attention as it journeys through the Solar System, becoming only the third known object from beyond our cosmic neighbourhood. However, while the discovery has fuelled both scientific curiosity and online speculation, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have firmly debunked rumours linking the comet to alien activity or catastrophic events.
First identified in July 2025 by the ATLAS survey in Chile, 3I/ATLAS is travelling at a remarkable 58 kilometres per second along a hyperbolic orbit, confirming its interstellar origin. According to a report by Tech Space 2.0, scientists view it as a valuable scientific messenger, offering insight into the materials and chemistry of other planetary systems formed billions of years ago.
No Threat to Earth, Despite Online Hysteria
Following the announcement of its trajectory, social media platforms were flooded with unfounded claims suggesting that the comet might collide with Earth or could be an extraterrestrial probe. Both NASA and ESA have issued clarifications rejecting such claims, confirming that the object poses no danger to our planet.
Astronomical data show that 3I/ATLAS will remain at least 1.8 astronomical units, about 270 million kilometres, from Earth, a safe distance that rules out any potential threat.
The comet will make its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) between 29 and 30 October 2025, passing at about 1.4 AU, slightly inside Mars’ orbit. It is expected to cross Jupiter’s orbit in March 2026 before leaving the Solar System and continuing its eternal voyage through interstellar space.
Scientists believe that studying 3I/ATLAS could reveal vital clues about the chemical composition and evolution of distant planetary systems, making it one of the most significant astronomical discoveries of the decade.
