The undisputed star of the December sky is the Comet 3I/ATLAS, a truly exotic object making its closest approach to Earth on Dec. 19! This moment is likely your best chance to see this rare, high-speed interstellar interloper before it exits our solar system forever. The '3I' designation confirms its extraordinary status: it is only the third object in history from outside of our solar system to be discovered within our solar system.
This rarity alone makes it a priority target for scientific study. Its faintness, estimated to be around magnitude 11 to 15 during its closest approach, means it is far too dim to be seen with the naked eye and requires powerful magnification.
