Astronomers have discovered a new comet, C/2025 V1 (Borisov), which is approaching both Earth and the sun from a safe distance. The comet has drawn comparisons to the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS.
Hubble captured this image of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS on July 21, 2025, when the comet was 277 million miles from Earth. Hubble shows that the comet has a teardrop-shaped cocoon of dust coming off its solid, icy nucleus.

A strange comet recently spotted speeding its way toward Earth and the sun has prompted some comparisons to an infamous interstellar object known as 3I/ATLAS.

Because the newly discovered space object shares some similarities with 3I/ATLAS, some have questioned whether the two objects are in any way related.

If you're in need of a refresher, 3I/ATLAS is the object originating from beyond our solar system that observations indicate is almost certainly a comet – but that has become inextricably intertwined with conspiracy theories of invading alien spaceships.

So, as one can imagine, the recent observation of another unusual comet has set off a fresh round of rampant speculation about how the two objects could be connected. But outside of a few passing resemblances, the new comet, which likely originated from the edge of our solar system, appears to share no direct connection with 3I/ATLAS.

And if you want to see it from Earth, it's due to make its closest approach Tuesday, Nov. 11.

Here's everything to know.

Newly discovered comet draws 3I/ATLAS comparisons. What is it?

Several observations of the new comet were reported between Nov. 2 and Nov. 5 to the Minor Planet Center, the official authority for observing and reporting new asteroids, comets and other small bodies in the solar system. Because amateur astronomer Gennadiy Borisov was the first to spot it, the object has since been dubbed C/2025 V1 (Borisov)

The object is also now catalogued by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

If the name Borisov sounds familiar, it's because he also discovered the second-ever known interstellar comet trespassing into Earth's solar system. Comet Borisov was detected in 2019, two years after Comet Oumuamua, Hawaiian for “scout” or “messenger,” became the first interstellar object ever detected in the solar system in 2017.

That association may be part of the reason the new comet's discovery has drawn comparisons to 3I/ATLAS, which in July became the third-ever object originating from another star found in our cosmic neighborhood.

Is C/2025 V1 'nearly interstellar?' What we know

But what further makes C/2025 V1 intriguing is that it has an unusual orbit.

In fact, Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, who has also been closely monitoring 3I/ATLAS, went as far as to describe the comet as "nearly interstellar" in a recent post on publishing platform Medium.

Loeb's descriptor has to do with C/2025 V1's highly eccentric orbit, meaning it is traveling almost straight toward the sun on a trajectory not unlike that of 3I/ATLAS. That means the comet may not be bound by the sun's gravity.

Similar to 3I/ATLAS, the comet also does not display a tail in recent photos, Loeb added.

What is 3I/ATLAS? Is new comet an alien probe of 'mothership?'

Of course, those characteristics may have only further contributed to C/2025 V1 being linked to the ancient 3I/ATLAS.

The infamous object known as 3I/ATLAS, believed to be a comet originating from outside Earth's solar system, is suspected of having hurtled through space at breathtaking speeds for billions of years.

Media coverage in tabloid publications, including LADbible, have prompted online speculation that the comet could in fact be a probe sent by the "mothership" 3I/ATLAS. The eyebrow-raising theory that 3I/ATLAS could be an alien spaceship is one that Loeb himself first prominently put forth.

Loeb, who has conceded on Medium that the object is "most likely a comet of natural origin," has not ruled out the possibility that it could be extraterrestrial technology. But he did downplay the idea that C/2025 V1 is in anyway directly connected to 3I/ATLAS.

The comet, instead, likely originated from the Oort Cloud, a thick bubble around the edges of our solar system, he wrote.

When will new comet pass closest to Earth? Will it be visible?

Comet C/2025 V1 will pass closest to Earth on Tuesday, Nov 11, when it will come within about 64 million miles of our planet. That's still pretty far away, about 270 times further away than the moon, according to space website Orbital Today.

The object will then make its closest approach to the sun – a moment known as perihelion – Sunday, Nov. 16.

Though the object is too faint to be seen with the naked eye, stargazers with a powerful telescopes or binoculars may be able to glimpse it, according to LiveScience. As of now, C/2025 V1 is located in the constellation Virgo and is most clearly visible before sunrise, according to TheSkyLive.com.

3I/ATLAS reappears from behind sun, approaches Earth

As for the comet 3I/ATLAS, which is merely passing through our solar system, the object recently made its closest approach to the sun – about 130 million miles – and has since been hidden from Earth's view.

However, amateur telescopes have since imaged the object again, according to Space.com. Amateur British astronomers also recently spotted the comet.

The object is presently making its way for its closest approach to Earth, which is projected to happen Dec. 19, when it comes within about 170 million miles of our planet.

Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Nearly interstellar comet' draws comparisons to 3I/ATLAS. It's about to fly past Earth

Reporting by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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