For months now, astronomers have been closely watching the mysterious interstellar object 3I/ATLAS as it rips through the solar system at a breakneck velocity. While that’s still roughly 1.5 times the distance from the Earth to the Sun, nearby spacecraft are already making the most out of the opportunity. “3I/ATLAS will pass closest to Earth on December 19, 2025,” explained Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, who has long championed the far-fetched theory that the object may be an alien spacecraft, on his blog. “Observations are expected to continue for several more months as 3I/ATLAS heads out of the solar system,” NASA noted on its website. More on 3I/ATLAS: 3I/ATLAS Is Carrying Ingredients for Life, NASA Finds