Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS was at conjunction two weeks ago, positioned on the opposite side of the Sun relative to Earth. The comet reached perihelion last week, marking its closest approach to the Sun. The comet has emerged from behind the Sun and is now observable from Earth. Earth is moving toward the comet as it travels away from the Sun, creating favorable viewing conditions for the coming weeks.
The comet is visible to anyone with a telescope or high-quality binoculars during pre-dawn hours. Standard amateur equipment is sufficient to observe the object. The comet's appearance will not match spectacular displays like Hale-Bopp, the Great Comet of 1997.
The object formed 10 billion years ago beyond the solar system."November will be the ideal month to observe Comet 3I/ATLAS, a rare interstellar visitor that will shine near Venus and the bright star Spica in Virgo. Around November 3, the comet will rise about two hours before sunrise.
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Its brightness may reach magnitude 10, faint but visible through a telescope or good binoculars," Dr. Franck Marchis, senior astronomer and Director of Citizen Science at the SETI Institute and Chief Science Officer and co-founder of Unistellar, said.
"To find it, start with Venus or Spica as guides. If you're unsure where to look, use a stargazing app (like SkySafari, Stellarium, or Sky Tonight) or a stellar map. Comets are unpredictable, so their brightness may change after perihelion, meaning this might be your best chance to catch it!"
Dr. Marchis' predictions for the comet's magnitude align with the latest observations. Comet 3I/ATLAS reached no closer than 203 million kilometers (126 million miles) from the Sun, yet its activity increased significantly. This enhanced activity makes the comet an easier and more compelling observation target.
Amateur astronomers have already captured images of the comet. Improved visibility conditions will facilitate additional observations.
The comet remains low on the horizon, preventing observation by many professional observatories. This positioning creates opportunities for amateur astronomers to photograph the object and contribute scientific data.
"Working with SETI Institute scientists, Unistellar's global network of 25,000 citizen astronomers will capture real-time data to help researchers study the composition and trajectory of this visitor from beyond our Solar System. Participants will be able to share their observations through the Unistellar app and contribute to ongoing research at the SETI Institute," Marchis said.
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The Virtual Telescope Project plans to stream observations of comet 3I/ATLAS in the coming weeks for viewers affected by poor weather conditions.