Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will be visible near Earth tonight – here’s how to catch a glimpse 

One of the three known interstellar objects known as 3I/ATLAS, has been observed and is sweeping through our solar system once. It was formed in the surroundings of another star and will approach the Earth at the beginning of December 19. The third recognised object to have ever been detected in interstellar space, 3I/ATLAS, will only move within 269 million kilometres of Earth, or about two times the distance between the Earth and the Sun, on average, according to the European Space Agency (ESA). 

Scientists indicate that it does not present any threat to the Earth or the other planets because it is travelling across the inner Solar System. The comet was initially observed on July 1 using the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile, and its strange features and orbit have led to a kind of online frenzy, and several theories – such as the one according to which it was alien-sent. It is also observed that the likely diameter of the comet is between 1000 feet (320 meters) and 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometres) and has a speed of 130,000 miles (209,000 kilometres) per hour. 

The comet 3I/ATLAS is a ball of ice, dust and frozen gases or cosmic snowball, as NASA describes it. As they move closer to the Sun, they become hot, and they acquire the long tails which most comets have. Most of the comets that we observe are the ones that have been produced in the Kuiper Belt or the Oort Cloud, which are the distant areas of our solar system. However, comet 3I/ATLAS was formed in a different part of the galaxy and is merely passing by. As soon as it leaves our solar system, it will never come back. 

The 3I/ATLAS will be closest to the Earth at 1 a.m. EST (6 a.m. GMT) on December 19. At that time, the comet will be approximately 168 million miles (270 million kilometres) or approximately twice the distance between the Earth and the Sun. It is also notable that the probability of 3I/ATLAS hitting the planet is zero. The best observation of the interstellar visitor is possible at night, as 3I/ATLAS is no longer seen with the naked eye or even your weaker field glasses: you are most likely to see the comet with a telescope, either in your backyard or at a nearby observatory. 

Skywatching mobile applications are also useful to find the whereabouts of 3I/ATLAS in the night sky. In case you cannot view 3I/ATLAS at home, you can observe it on a live stream by The Virtual Telescope Project, which will include the view of telescopes in Mancaiano, Italy. The livestream is scheduled to start at 5:00 am CET (04:00 UTC) on December 19, provided the weather conditions are favourable.