UN launches global drill to track interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS
The United Nations launched a global planetary defense exercise on November 27 centered on the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, as controversy continues to swirl around the mysterious visitor's origins and the quality of images released by
space agencies.
The International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN), operating under UN auspices, will monitor the comet through January 27, 2026, in what officials describe as the eighth such drill since 2017. The exercise comes as 3I/ATLAS approaches its closest point to Earth on December 19, when it will pass at a safe distance of approximately 270 million kilometers—nearly twice the distance between Earth and the Sun.
The United Nations is activating Earth's planetary defense system to track the mysterious 3I/ATLAS comet, which conspiracy theorists believe is an alien spacecraft. A global team of scientists will monitor the comet over two months, with the International Asteroid Warning Network treating this as a major drill for potential future asteroid threats. Despite the comet's close approach on December 19, authorities claim it poses no danger. New images reveal a glowing head and a long tail, captured by Harvard professor Avi Loeb and amateur stargazers, showing the comet pointing towards the sun. NASA insists the comet is from another solar system, but critics argue their images are of chemical elements released by the comet. The UN and NASA assure the public that this is a routine drill, though some remain skeptical.
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