Can You See 3I/ATLAS Tonight? The Infamous 'Alien' Comet Comes Nearest to Earth

Comet, or rather interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, has become one of the most talked about celestial objects of 2025 as it makes its closest approach to Earth this week. It is maybe the most interesting interstellar visitor travelling through our solar system, generating viral theories for months now.

It has occupied the heads of both scientists and the public since its discovery. Conspiracy theories and social media posts have gone viral with rumours, some of which border on the unbelievable, especially claims about alien origins and that 3I/ATLAS is actually a spaceship. Now, in December 2026, it has finally reached near Earth.

The Story of 3I/ATLAS and the Viral Alien Theories

As many already know, comet 3I/ATLAS is classified as an interstellar object because its orbit shows it came from outside our solar system before being pulled briefly into our Sun's influence. It was discovered on 1 July 2025 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey telescope in Chile, part of NASA's planetary defence network searching for potentially hazardous near Earth objects. Also, the name '3I' means that it is only the third confirmed interstellar object ever detected, following 1I/ʻOumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019.

Moreover, from the moment of its discovery, 3I/ATLAS got huge, almost unbelievable public interest. This was partly because any interstellar visitor is still super rare to say the least, and partly because its behaviour and appearance were really unusual. Also, observations tell us that as it neared the Sun, it developed a coma and tail typical of comets, but its composition and activity continue to baffle some researchers.

Then, recent images from telescopes such as Gemini North show that the comet is glowing green as it sheds gases like diatomic carbon in sunlight. Meanwhile, high resolution data from instruments on spacecraft like Hubble and other observatories have given scientists a good, detailed view of the object's allegedly weird behaviour.

However, that scientific curiosity has led to conspiracy theories online. Some people outside mainstream astronomy have posited that 3I/ATLAS could be something more than a comet. Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, who has previously raised provocative ideas about other interstellar visitors, has at many points said that oddities in the comet's light curve might imply unusual internal processes or even hint at artificiality, simply speaking, alien tech. He has described apparent periodic pulses in its coma as a 'heartbeat', though this obviously remains controversial.

Furthermore, these claims have, for the second half of the year, led to a lot of rumours, causing internet debates about whether 3I/ATLAS could be some sort of alien probe or technology. Such ideas are very similar to the reaction to ʻOumuamua eight years ago, when its elongated shape and unusual acceleration led to similar theories about alien origin.

Most scientists, however, dismiss these interpretations. The preponderance of evidence backs the conclusion that 3I/ATLAS is a natural comet, with its activity and emissions matching with expectations for an icy body heated by the Sun. NASA and other agencies have said again and again that despite the intrigue, there is no credible indication of alien technology.

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Closest Approach to Earth: When, Where and Can 3I/ATLAS Be Seen

The much awaited close approach of 3I/ATLAS is set to happen on 19 December 2025, when the comet will pass within about 1.8 astronomical units of Earth, which is roughly 168 million miles ( or 270 million kilometres) away. This distance is much greater than that of the Moon or even Mars at its closest to our planet, meaning that although it is nearer than it has been during most of its journey through our solar system, it will still be very distant in human terms.

So, unfortunately, because of this gigantic distance, 3I/ATLAS will not be visible to the naked eye for most observers on Earth. Astronomers and skywatchers will need telescopes to spot it. Moreover, recommendations are subjective, but many sources say that instruments with apertures of at least 15 centimetres, with larger telescopes around 30 centimetres providing a clearer view of the faint, diffuse glow. Hence, for those without access to a telescope, livestreams from projects like the Virtual Telescope Project will offer real time views as the comet sweeps by our planet, still very, very far away.

Furthermore, people hoping to catch a look should aim for pre-dawn skies, especially in locations with darker skies and minimal light pollution. As per sources, around the time of closest approach, the comet will appear near the star Regulus in the constellation Leo, rising into the early morning sky.