New Comet C/2025 V1 (Borisov) to Pass Closest to Earth on Nov. 11 — 'Nearly Interstellar' but Not Linked to 3I/ATLAS

New Comet C/2025 V1 (Borisov) Will Make Its Closest Approach on Nov. 11

A previously unreported comet, designated C/2025 V1 (Borisov), was discovered on Nov. 2 by Crimean amateur astronomer Gennadiy Borisov and will make its nearest approach to Earth on Tuesday, Nov. 11. At closest approach it will be about 64 million miles (103 million kilometers) from Earth — roughly 270 times the distance to the Moon — making it a distant but interesting target for amateur and professional observers.

What we know

C/2025 V1 is relatively faint (apparent magnitude ~13.8) and cannot be seen with the unaided eye. Observers using a decent telescope or strong binoculars may be able to spot it in the constellation Virgo, most easily just before sunrise. Its perihelion (closest point to the Sun) is predicted for Nov. 16.

The comet has attracted attention because of a highly eccentric — nearly straight — inbound trajectory and the apparent absence of a pronounced tail in some images. Those features prompted comparisons with the interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS, and Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb called C/2025 V1 a "nearly interstellar object" in a recent blog post.

Loeb noted that the comet's straight, high-eccentricity orbit and a lack of an obvious tail were superficially similar to 3I/ATLAS, but he also emphasized that without evidence of non-gravitational propulsion there is no reason to link the two objects.

Why astronomers think it is native to the solar system

Most researchers favor a solar-system origin for C/2025 V1, likely from the distant Oort Cloud, a vast reservoir of icy bodies at the edge of the Sun's influence. In addition to orbital shape, the measured separation between C/2025 V1 and 3I/ATLAS at their closest known approach is on the order of ~140 million miles (225 million km), a gap considered too large to support a direct physical link.

Detailed orbital calculations and follow-up observations are still under way; those will clarify its exact trajectory and likely origin. For now, scientists caution against jumping to exotic explanations and note that both C/2025 V1 and 3I/ATLAS exhibit features consistent with cometary activity.

Context: 3I/ATLAS

3I/ATLAS — an interstellar object first spotted earlier this year — recently passed perihelion on Oct. 29, briefly brightened and showed a temporary color change before re-emerging from behind the Sun. It is now receding from the inner solar system and is expected to be closest to Earth on Dec. 19. While 3I/ATLAS displays some puzzling traits (including an unusual anti-tail and a highly irradiated surface), astronomers emphasize that there is currently no reliable evidence it is anything other than a comet.

How to observe

If you plan to look for C/2025 V1, check updated ephemeris data from reliable sources such as TheSkyLive.com or Minor Planet Center listings for exact coordinates and best viewing times. Given its faintness (mag ~13.8), a telescope and clear, dark skies are recommended.

Bottom line: C/2025 V1 (Borisov) is an interesting new cometary visitor with a steep inbound orbit, but current evidence points to a native origin in the Oort Cloud rather than a connection to interstellar 3I/ATLAS. Continued observations will refine its orbit and help settle remaining questions.