For weeks, comet 3I/ATLAS has dominated headlines as astronomers, commentators and millions of curious readers follow the path of the third known interstellar object ever to enter our solar system. The Manhattan-sized comet recently re-emerged from behind the sun after a close approach that sparked everything from scientific excitement to rampant speculation online.
Times and how to watch
Tonight, we will finally get a clear look at it: starting at 5:15 a.m. CET (11:15 p.m. ET), the Virtual Telescope Project will stream live telescopic views from its observatory in Manciano, Italy, giving a rare chance to watch the object moving through the stars of Virgo. The object's trajectory confirmed its interstellar origin shortly after its discovery four months ago, and since then researchers have studied whether it survived its intense solar flyby.
Avi Loeb and scientists
Recent images indicate that the comet stayed intact, a development that encouraged Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb to reiterate his view that unusual stability could merit consideration of non-natural explanations. Other experts remain skeptical and attribute 3I/ATLAS's condition to standard cometary physics.
NASA and HiRISE
NASA is expected to release the highest-resolution images of the comet soon, captured by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's HiRISE camera earlier this fall, though publication was delayed during the United States government shutdown. The renewed visibility comes on the heels of viral discussions about the comet's earlier path near Jupiter, Venus and Mars, which fueled speculation across social media. Scientists, meanwhile, emphasize that the object remains on a clear escape trajectory and poses no threat.
Watch the full livestream in the video below
With a magnitude of +10.9, 3I/ATLAS is far too dim to detect without a telescope, but the livestream will provide detailed real-time views of its glowing coma and emerging tail as it recedes from the inner solar system. The broadcast may not settle the debate around its origins, but it offers the best opportunity yet to observe one of the rarest phenomena in modern astronomy. And if you are interested, you can watch the full livestream in the video below.
<social>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krU8gN-J9gY</social>