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Tengrinews.kz — On December 19, comet 3I/ATLAS will be at its closest point to Earth. Experts at the Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute explained the details.
Distance
Expert Svetlana Moshkina said that on the morning of December 19, comet 3I/ATLAS will pass at its minimum distance from Earth. Even so, the distance is very large - about 269 million kilometers.
“On December 19, at around 9:00 a.m. Astana time, comet 3I/ATLAS will pass at its minimum distance from Earth. It will be about 1.8 astronomical units (AU), which is approximately 269 million kilometers. Its current speed is about 44.2 kilometers per second. In the sky, the comet is located not far from the star Regulus in the constellation Leo,” Svetlana Moshkina said.
She also emphasized that there is no threat to our planet.
“On March 16, 2026, the comet will also pass relatively close to Jupiter,” she added.
Moshkina also noted that it is impossible to see the comet with the naked eye: it is too faint, and it can no longer be seen even with binoculars — a telescope is required.
