NASA has confirmed that the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS remains on a stable path through the Solar System and poses no risk to Earth, ending weeks of speculation on social media about potential course deviations. Data released on October 30, 2025, by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) show that the comet's velocity and direction have remained constant since its discovery in July.
Travelling at 68.3 kilometres per second, 3I/ATLAS continues its steady journey across the inner Solar System. NASA reported that the object's closest approach to Earth will occur on December 19, 2025, at a distance of roughly 268 million kilometres-nearly twice the distance between Earth and the Sun. "No manoeuvring toward Earth; it continues on its expected trajectory," the agency stated.
Astronomers from NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed that the comet follows a hyperbolic orbit, ensuring that it will permanently exit the Solar System after its solar pass. Observations from Astronomy Vibes' orbital model, published on X, corroborated the findings, depicting a consistent, unaltered trajectory.
ESA data indicated that the object has shown no measurable acceleration, spin change, or outgassing anomalies since its initial detection. That consistency, scientists say, is typical of interstellar objects that are not gravitationally bound to the Sun. 3I/ATLAS follows the path of its predecessors ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov, which also travelled through the Solar System before departing into interstellar space.
NASA and ESA researchers have instead emphasized the object's scientific significance. Telescopes worldwide, including the Hubble Space Telescope and ESA's JUICE mission, are observing how the comet's icy composition reacts to solar radiation. Tracking the object's brightness and gas emissions could help scientists learn more about the materials that form planets and moons in distant star systems.
ESA officials described interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS as "time capsules" that preserve matter from ancient planetary systems. Studying their structure and chemistry provides critical insights into how organic compounds and water may have been distributed across galaxies.
The agency also emphasized that 3I/ATLAS's movement presents no collision threat to any planet. Its closest encounter with Mars occurred earlier this month, and it will pass Venus safely on November 3 at a distance of about 97 million kilometres.
The clarification comes after weeks of online conjecture suggesting that the comet might change trajectory after its perihelion, or closest approach to the Sun. NASA scientists have dismissed those rumours as "completely unfounded," urging the public to rely on verified data rather than viral social media claims.
