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Ancient Comet 3I/ATLAS to Shine Near Earth in 2025

12/8/2025

23 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will approach Earth on December 19, 2025, at 170 million miles.
The comet shows high activity with cryovolcanoes ejecting gas and dust.
It displays a 16.16-hour pulsing brightness pattern.
The European Space Agency's JUICE spacecraft captured images of the comet's coma and two distinct tails.
Data from the Hubble Space Telescope and JUICE will advance understanding of this ancient visitor over 7 billion years old.

History

Historical Context

Comet Hale-Bopp, discovered on July 23, 1995, by Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp, became one of the brightest comets in history, visible for 18 months. Its perihelion on April 1, 1997, revealed a nucleus approximately 4.2 kilometers wide, captivating the public and astronomers alike. The comet's extensive visibility and media coverage surpassed that of Halley's Comet, with 69% of Americans observing it by April 1997.

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Story summary

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will approach Earth on December 19, 2025, at 170 million miles.
The comet shows high activity with cryovolcanoes ejecting gas and dust.
It displays a 16.16-hour pulsing brightness pattern.
The European Space Agency's JUICE spacecraft captured images of the comet's coma and two distinct tails.
Data from the Hubble Space Telescope and JUICE will advance understanding of this ancient visitor over 7 billion years old.

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