Nasa releases new images of mysterious Comet 3I/Atlas
Mysterious 3I/Atlas comet set to make closest approach to Earth
- The mysterious interstellar comet 3I/Atlas is set to make its closest approach to earth this month, zooming past our planet around Dec. 19.
- The comet is only the third known object to have entered our solar system from orbit around another star.
- Its intriguing nature has led to speculation that it could be an alien spacecraft, though scientists state its characteristics are consistent with a natural phenomenon.
- Several NASA and European Space Agency spacecraft, including those near Mars and the Juice spacecraft, have observed the comet during its passage.
- NASA said 3I/ATLAS poses no threat to Earth and will get no closer than about 170 million miles (275 million km) to our planet.