Not Aliens — But a Comet From Another Star Is Here
No, it’s not an alien invasion — but it is something rare and incredible.
This week, an interstellar comet known as 3I/ATLAS is making its closest approach to Earth. What makes it special? It didn’t come from our solar system at all. Scientists confirmed that 3I/ATLAS formed around another star, making it only the third interstellar object ever discovered passing through our cosmic neighborhood.
The comet is moving fast — about 137,000 miles per hour — and has likely been drifting through space for billions of years before briefly visiting our solar system. At its closest point, it’s still about 170 million miles away, nearly twice the distance between Earth and the sun, so there’s absolutely no danger.
Despite online rumors, scientists are clear: this is not an alien spacecraft. NASA and astronomers around the world have been tracking the comet for months, studying its speed and trajectory to better understand where it came from — and where it’s headed next. Unlike regular comets, 3I/ATLAS is on a one-way path and will eventually leave our solar system forever.
For Dallas–Fort Worth skywatchers, this is the best chance to see it. The comet is too faint for the naked eye, but with binoculars or a small telescope, you can spot it in the early morning hours, with peak visibility around 3:30 a.m. CST. Look east to northeast, near the constellation Leo, just below the bright star Regulus. Darker skies away from city lights will help.
If staying up late isn’t your thing, livestreams from observatories are also available online.
A visitor from another star system doesn’t pass by often — and for a moment, Dallas gets to witness a piece of the wider universe.
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