On November 16, the Virtual Telescope Project will host a livestream offering detailed telescopic views of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it accelerates away from the Sun. The broadcast begins at 11:15 p.m. ET (0415 GMT on November 17) and will feature real-time images captured from robotic telescopes in Manciano, Italy.
What Makes This Comet Special?
Discovered in July 2023, 3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed interstellar object to visit our solar system. Its trajectory, unlike anything originating within our Sun’s orbit, immediately set it apart. On October 30, the comet reached its closest point to the Sun (perihelion) and has now begun its rapid departure.
How to Watch and What to Expect
The livestream will showcase the comet’s glowing coma (the hazy atmosphere around the nucleus) and its lengthening ion tail, which is pushed away by the solar wind. Though too faint to see with the naked eye (estimated magnitude +10.9), even a small backyard telescope will reveal its bright coma as a fuzzy patch of light.
Where to Find It
Currently, 3I/ATLAS is rising above the eastern horizon before dawn in mid-to-late November, passing through the constellation Virgo. Observers in darker locations will have the best visibility.
Why This Matters
Interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS provide rare opportunities to study materials from other star systems. Each visit offers clues about the formation and composition of planets around distant suns. Studying these objects helps scientists understand how common or rare our own solar system might be in the wider universe.
The livestream will allow anyone with an internet connection to witness this fleeting cosmic visitor before it disappears into the vastness of space
